Found an ornate old hand mirror in your mother’s vanity? You just found a treasure worth a small fortune. After going through countless recent auctions and antiques sales, I can say that old hand mirrors with metal bodies and intricate designs are drawing the eyes of collectors like never before!
So, before you throw away your old antique vanity mirror, this guide will help you identify a valuable piece that could be worth hundreds or even thousands. There are also a few rare vintage hand mirror examples you must look out for!
Identifying Antique Hand Mirrors (4 Key Signs to Spot)
Hand mirrors have been used for thousands of years, with early versions made from polished bronze or silver in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. With time, they gradually evolved into more decorative vanity items.
By the 19th and early 20th centuries, hand mirrors were influenced by different styles, such as Victorian, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco periods which not only modified the design and also the material choices.
The unique designs characterizing each era and style, common materials, and the way a mirror is constructed are the key signs to identify and authenticate a genuine antique mirror.
Design and Style
Here is a breakdown of the most common hand mirror styles and their key identification features:
12th to Mid-19th Century (Gothic, Baroque, Rococo, Georgian)
- Gothic Style Mirrors (12th to 15th century): The earliest antique Gothic hand mirrors are typically characterized by Oak frames with intricate carvings and arch shapes. These pieces are extremely rare today, especially in good condition.
- Baroque Mirrors (1600-1750): These antique mirrors typically feature gold or silver gilding. Decorative cherubic figures are prevalent, along with common nature motifs.
- Rococo Style Mirrors (mid-18th century): These examples generally have walnut or mahogany construction, featuring heavy gilding with shell motifs. Oval mirrors with bronze gilding were also common.
- Georgian Hand Mirrors (1714-1830): Mirrors from this era appear to feature more symmetrical designs with oval and rectangular shapes. The most common material was veneered oak, decorated with natural motifs like leaves and birds.
Victorian Hand Mirrors (1837-1901)
The Victorian era saw the rise of heavily decorated hand mirrors and overmantel mirrors
with dark wood or metal frames. Typical examples feature ornate floral motifs, repoussé silver, and porcelain backs with hand-painted scenes.
Also, by this time, hand mirrors were often featured as part of vanity sets with matching brushes. Materials like sterling silver and tortoiseshell were common, along with gemstones or enamelwork.
Art Nouveau Hand Mirrors (1890-1910)
The hand mirrors from the Art Nouveau era can be identified by their noticeably flowing, organic forms. These examples typically showcase nature-inspired designs, such as birds, trees, flowers, insects, and women with flowing hair in Asymmetrical patterns.
Silver, bronze, and gilt metals are the most prevalent materials of the mirrors.
Art Deco Hand Mirrors (1920s-1930s)
Art Deco mirrors characterize the transition from heavily ornate designs to more sleeker and elegant appearance. Typical examples feature geometric patterns, bold lines, and stylized motifs.
Along with the designs, the choice of material shifted to more handy and lightweight options, such as chrome, celluloid, and bakelite. Generally, Art Deco mirrors feature streamlined designs that are more functional and handy.
Hollywood Regency Mirrors (1940s–1960s)
Inspired by the Hollywood Glamour style, Hollywood Regency mirrors are characterized by a luxurious and bold appearance. For instance, you will find dazzling gold-tones, lucite, rhinestone accents.
Materials Used
Like the designs, the choice of materials used for making hand mirrors also transitioned over the years, becoming a crucial factor to identify and date the pieces. Here’s how:
- Sterling Silver: One of the most commonly used materials for high-end antique hand mirrors was silver. And today, silver examples are the valuable ones. To identify authentic examples, look for hallmarks (on the frame edge or handle).
Note: English silver typically bears date letters, maker’s marks, and assay office marks.
- Gold: Solid gold hand mirrors can be extremely rare and highly valuable, due to the material cost. Besides, finding solid gold examples, especially with high karatage, is rather difficult today, making them rare. To spot them, look for karat ratings (9K, 14K, 18K).
- Silver-Plated & Gold-plated: These mirrors are often marked “EPNS” (Electroplated Nickel Silver) or “Silver on Copper.” Although less valuable than sterling or gold examples, silver or gold-plated hand mirrors can fetch decent values for rare examples in good condition.
- Bronze & Brass: Bronze and Brass was often used in Art Nouveau, Victorian, and early 20th centuries hand mirrors. These examples typically feature a distinctive patina due to aging.
- Natural Materials: Exotic natural materials such as Ivory, mother-of-pearl, tortoiseshell, and exotic woods were popular in earlier periods, before metal mirrors became common. Hence, these examples are highly rare and desirable today.
- Celluloid: Celluloid, the first semi-synthetic plastic, was commonly used for hand mirrors from the 1880s to the 1930s. The examples are typically ivory-colored or in butterscotch/amber tones. However, these examples are prone to cracking and, hence, are rare to find in good condition today.
- Bakelite: Bakelite hand mirrors generally date back to the 1920s-1940s. Unlike celluloid examples, this material is heat-resistant, making vintage examples durable. You can identify Bakelite pieces using Formula 409 (creates yellow residue when rubbed on genuine Bakelite).
Apart from this, the glass type used in vintage hand mirrors is also a crucial sign to identify and date. For example, the pre-1940s mirrors often used mercury for the reflective backing. You can identify this type of mirror by the thick oxidation and spotting that grows over time.
Construction
A closer inspection of a hand mirror’s construction can help you authenticate the piece. For instance, truly antique hand-crafted mirror frames generally show subtle irregularities in shape, evenness of the design, and smoothness.
Moreover, older pieces typically feature dovetail or mortise and tenon joints, while later examples use modern assembly methods. Similarly, hand-forged, irregular nails or screws also indicate an antique, pre-industrial build. Machine-made, smooth nails can hint at the retro build or even a reproduction.
The backing material is another important sign. Authentic antique mirrors often feature solid wooden backings, unlike modern examples (or reproductions), which are generally found with a backing of plywood, paper, or other materials.
In fact, even the glass of the genuine examples can show some flaws, such as small bubbles, uneven surfaces, or inconsistencies. Modern examples rather have perfectly cut and flawless glasses.
What Makes Vintage Hand Mirrors Valuable? (5 Key Factors)
An authentic antique hand mirror can generally range from $25 to a stunning $5,000, depending on several factors, like how old it is, what material it’s made of, and how much damage it has!
Let’s understand these crucial valuation factors in detail:
Age
Typically, older hand mirrors (especially pre-19th century) command much higher prices due to their rarity than later examples. Distinctive period pieces from recognized design eras, such as Victorian, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco, can be especially valuable.
You can date your piece based on the above details!
Condition
Condition is the second crucial factor to influence an antique hand mirror’s value. Naturally, damaged or worn-out mirrors are worth less than those in pristine condition. Here are the crucial damage signs that can significantly reduce a mirror’s value:
- Cracked or broken glass
- Silvering loss (dark spots or patchiness when the silver coating behind the glass has faded)
- Loose or wobbly handles, splits in handles, missing/broken handles
- Significant dents and warping (especially in silver, brass, or pewter frames)
- Missing screws, nails, or other hardware pieces
- Significant rusting
- Fading or loss of enamel (for examples with enamelwork)
- Chipping in porcelain or celluloid
However, note that not all signs are “damages;” some are signs of aging and are actually treasured by collectors. These signs are:
- Distinctive patina (it should be natural, not artificial)
- Cloudy or dark spots caused by mercury oxidation
- Slight gray or yellow tinting
- Flaws and imperfections in glass
Moreover, collectors tend to pay more for examples with original mirrors, even more if the mirror is in good condition. Replaced glass can improve the piece’s appearance but can detract from its value.
Complete Sets
Hand mirrors were mostly sold in vanity sets comprising a mirror, a matching brush, and a comb. Such complete sets are generally more valuable than individual hand vanity mirrors.
Also, original fitted cases or boxes can add significant value to sets.
Materials
The material of a hand mirror can greatly impact its value since certain materials are more valuable and rarer than others. Here are the average values of vintage hand mirrors by materials:
- Base Metal (Brass, Copper, Pewter, Pot Metal): $20 – $150, rare examples can fetch $500-$800+
- Sterling Silver: $75 – $500+
- Gold: $500 – $5,000+
- Gold Gilt Brass/Bronze: $50-$400
- Bakelite: $20 – $200+
- Wood: $20 – $300+ (Up to $500 or more for exotic woods with detailed carving)
However, remember that an old handheld mirror can’t be valued solely based on what material it’s made of; other factors play a vital role in valuation, too.
Rarity & Desirability
The rarer an antique hand mirror, the more desirable and valuable it is. So, checking the rarity of a piece is crucial. The main aspects/factors that determine the rarity of a piece are:
- Unusual shapes & designs
- Unusual/unconventional material
- Unique artistic elements (signed painting, designer signatures, etc)
- Historical significance or provenance (examples associated with an important historical event or human figure)
- Limited edition examples (made in limited quantity or for a limited time)
- Custom-made pieces for specific purposes
- Examples from renowned brands
8 Rare Antique Vintage Hand Mirrors Examples to Look for!
Below are some examples of rare vintage vanity hand mirrors that are worth a lot of money!
1. Antique French Enamel Handpainted Bronze Hand Mirror
This is an example of Victorian-style antique hand mirrors, featuring intricate enamel work. It has a solid bronze frame with ornate metalwork on the top and handle. The back displays a handpainted enameled portrait of a French lady, a defining feature of Victorian style.
The brass metal, life-like painting on enamel, and beautiful scrollwork add to the piece’s rarity; no wonder it sold for almost $700!
2. Tiffany Alhambra Hand Mirror
This is a rare antique hand mirror from Tiffany & Co., characterized by its distinctive iconic Alhambra design glass. Although unsigned, the ornate engraved scroll design on the brass frame speaks highly of Tiffany’s early artistry and craftsmanship, making this piece worth its price of $375.
3. Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Folding Hand Mirror
Vintage hand mirrors with unique mechanisms are valuable, especially from renowned brands, like Tiffany & Co. This example, sold for $310, is a small purse-size foldable vanity mirror made of Sterling silver. It has a sleek and plain design with an engraved “TIFFANT & CO./925/ITALY” marking on the handle.
Based on recent sales, vintage Tiffany & Co. hand mirrors can sell for $150–$600, depending on material, design, and condition.
4. 1960s Floral Petit Point Brush Comb Hand Mirror
This vintage hand mirror set sold for $200 thanks to its unique petit point floral decoration on the back! The set including a matching mirror, hairbrush, and comb, all features ornate gold-tone filigree metalwork on the handles and frames.
Each piece has a cream/ivory backing with delicate petit point embroidered floral designs (pink roses with green leaves). The petit point work appears to be hand-stitched, making this piece worth the money!
Petit point work is a type of embroidery in which small, diagonal stitches are made across fabric threads on fine cloth/canvas. It’s also known as tent stitch.
5. Van Cleef & Arpels Guilloche Gold Mini Hand Mirror
This vintage mini gold hand mirror from Van Cleef & Arpels is a valuable find. This is the brand popular model “Ultima” II, characterized by its plain and solid gold-plated body. It features a decorated ivory back featuring a curved gilt motif.
The piece exemplifies Van Cleef’s sleek and elegant craftsmanship. Besides, the nearly mint condition box that accompanies the mirror justifies the premium price of $195!
6. Vintage Gorham Sterling Silver Vanity Mirror Set
This is a beautiful Gorham sterling silver vanity set including a hand mirror, hairbrush, and comb. Like all items, the vanity mirror is made of high-quality sterling silver with intricate repousse Victorian Chase-style floral and scrollwork designs.
This example is a reflection of Gorham’s early silverwork, making it a rare and desirable piece. The historical significance surely adds to the value.
7. Vintage Murano Venetian Vanity Hand Mirror
This beautiful vintage vanity mirror is quite valuable (sold for over $250) as it’s made in the renowned Venetian Murano glass tradition. It has an oval mirror framed by clear glass with a beaded/bubble edge pattern, decorated with delicate blue glass flowers and accents.
These mirrors typically feature a wooden backing, which is covered in a beautiful brocade trim. A simple piece, yet valuable due to its distinctive glasswork.
8. Vintage Samuel M Levi Sterling Silver Hand Mirror
A rare antique piece from 1918 by Samuel M Levi, this Sterling singer vanity mirror features ornate repousse floral/scrollwork on both the mirror back and front and the handle. The natural patina on the frame indicates it’s a truly vintage piece, that, along with the silver metal value, justifies its value of over $140!
