Featured Antique Mirror with No Visible Markings

I would love to gain a better idea of when this item was produced and where it was likely manufactured.

I acquired this antique mirror at an estate sale in Central Connecticut. The arched-top mirror measures roughly 7 feet tall and the ornamental top reaches almost 8 feet. The gold detail is formed in soft lead and I believe the wood to be mahogany or walnut.

The original fasteners are handmade. The nails are square and the two nuts that secure the bottom embellishments were octagonal and the hole was slightly off-center. The backing is 10-inch tongue and groove horizontal boards.

Thank you in advance to all that contribute.

 

The mirror is a pier mirror; it looks to be missing it's marble-topped pier table, upon which the mirror would originally have rested. Probably produced in your neck of the woods (NE U.S.) but could be European. Ca. 1870.

 

I suspect it was made right here in CT. We had all sorts of manufacturing at one point and made a pile of furniture around the time of the Civil War.

 

Hi Tivct!

Welcome to Antiquers.............

 

Thank you Judy!

 

My instincts told me the same. Fully assembled the mirror must weigh over 100 lbs. I can’t imagine it traveling far. It has cleaned up wonderfully. I had no choice but to re-gilt the embellishments. I’ve included a photo of it when I first took possession.

 

Very pretty! Thank you for showing it and thanks to Ghopper and Evelyb for the info. Welcome to Antiquers!

If you will be so considerate as to go back to Edit your original posting to show your photos as "full size" we can all see them without going clicky-cray! Thanks.

 

Thank you GHopper. I too thought it was a pier mirror, which I understand to be more commonly installed in Brooklyn brownstones? The mirror is now installed at my home in Manhattan.

 

I would love to, but I don’t see how to. This is my very first time on this forum. Please forgive my unfamiliarity.

 

you just click "Edit" and "Full size" for the group of photos. Can make your single picture full sized too, much easier for us to review things.

 

Thank you Antidiem.

Does anyone have any guesses who the manufacturer might be? The style seems to be quite unique as I explore the pier mirror antique world. I did find this similar piece at a shop in Middletown, CT. Unfortunately there is little information in the listing and store clerk was not interested in any conversation that didn't relate to a purchase.

http://www.demolitiondepot.com/vo/demo/inv/detail.asp?ID=25678#sthash.bLcRF146.dpbs

 

Oh YOUR PICTURES LOOK GREAT +THANKS!

I believe this would have been manufactured on the north east coast.
Doesn't look like a southern piece to me.

 

My guess would be that it was manufactured in NYC, simply because the odds favor that conclusion. There were dozens of furniture "ware rooms" on lower Broadway alone, home to craftsmen of national and even international reputation. However, as was mentioned above, there were manufacturers everywhere, and it could easily have been made in central Connecticut. In the absence of stylistic clues that point to certain well-known makers, it will be virtually impossible to attribute this mirror to any one shop.

However, I will say that the ormolu mounts point toward a certain level of artistic knowledge more common to New York makers of the Victorian period.

 

This mirror is at my home passed down the family line. Looks like it has some similarities to yours.

 

What a lovely acquisition!

Debora

 

Thank you GHopper. You certainly know your stuff! Would you be so kind to elaborate on some of those stylistic clues you alluded to or direct me to where I can learn more? You have piqued my curiosity.

 

Hi,
I carried a similar 10ft pier mirror from Philadelphia on the train and subway to Brooklyn. it weighted over 175lb. Of course I was a lot younger and in better shape. However it was cheaper than having it shipped. it was not the only thing that I have carried. Once I bought a seat on the plane from San Francisco to Pittsburgh for a large Chinese vase. It was 5 ft tall and just made the clearance from the seat to the overhead bins.
greg

 

impressive. And both survived unscathed?

 

Hi,
They both made it. The one thing I did have trouble with was a Philadelphia wing chair, the train ride was okay but the subway ride was dicey. A woman came on the subway and suddenly sat down on the chair. I had some difficulty trying to remove her when I got to my stop. I just had to drag the chair and her off the train and listen to her screaming at me for removing her seat. God I miss Brooklyn so much. I forgot to say what a nice job you did on the mirror.
greg