Featured Pier Mirror

Hi all. Need some help knowing what I have. This mirror is rumored to have been saved from a NYC hotel refurbishment sometime between the 30's-50's. Its about 8' tall and 3' wide. I didn't notice markings and it may have been refinished. Its impressive, just not sure if it has value. Please see photos and any guidance is truly appreciated.

 

Your pier mirror is made of walnut and probably dates to ca. 1885-95. It looks to be transitional in style from Renaissance Revival to Eastlake. It may very well have been refinished, but that doesn’t affect its value. Does it have its original glass? The back will be finished in thin wood planks if that’s the case. Original glass is better.

I imagine that it is missing its crest; if you are able to see the top of the piece look for dowel holes where a crest might have been mounted. It therefore would likely have been taller than 8 feet. The crest was probably removed to facilitate display in a room with a standard 8-foot ceiling. The loss of the crest does affect value, even if the ceiling is 8 feet. The crest should have been stored in anticipation of higher ceilings in the future, but owners rarely have that kind of foresight.

It has value, but Im not sure where you are, which is the prime factor. Since your story regarding the mirror’s provenance says that you think it came from a New York City hotel, I’ll assume you’re somewhere around there.

In my part of the US Midwest I would assume a value of $500 to $1000, depending on the venue and location. Your mileage may vary.

 

Agree with the above. There was a time when this was easily worth triple that. Today, finding a buyer at any price might take awhile.

 

Agreed with above. They definitely have value, but generally only in areas with houses large enough for them. I would pick one up in a second! They are generally not cheap, but you may have to be able to be patient for the right buyer, which is hard to do if you're moving...

 

Am I the only one who thinks the bottom looks like a mantelpiece ? I dont think that was meant to sit on a floor.

 

The gadooning underneath the tops of both pieces matches; therefore, I’d say they were meant to go together.

The base WOULD make a nice over mantle though.

 

Thank you all for the input. I'll check for additional markings this weekend. Located in central CT and there are some antique lovers with large historic homes it may fit well in. Without a formal appraisal, would asking someone I know who may be interested for $1000 to take it be absurd?

 

Start at $1200, then bargain down as far as you’re comfortable.

 

the carving is wonderful...... and it's a brute ...... ask what you're comfortable with.... and be prepared to discount.......... everyone likes to know they got a deal...... and you want it gone !