Object number
55/331
Description
This is a round wooden hand mirror, with the glass set into the wood. It has a turned handle. According to the donor, it is silvered by the 'tin-mercury amalgam process', which is liable to form crystallisation. The frame of the mirror is made of oak, whereas the handle is made of beech. The mirror was purchased in Camden Town in 1955, but nothing else is known of its origins or place of use.
Physical description
1 hand-held mirror: wood; glass; good condition
Archival history
MERL ‘Associated information’ form – 'Extract from letter sent with mirror - 'I am sending you one of the early 'Chapman-sold' and 'Country fair' rural type mirror for the M.E.R.L. Source particulars for it are - Bought in Inverness St. Camden Town, N.W.1 about a month ago from a dealer who does 'house clearances' to the instructions of the 'Crusade of Rescue' and comes by bulk lots of miscellaneous effects from both urban and rural locations. He usually has a weird misture [sic], the old and strange often turning up as in this case. The points I have noted for it are (a) the dual mirrors - which are (b) both silvered by the tin-mercury amalgam process (used at Vauxhall) a report of which may be found in the Tomlinson (Editor) 'Useful Arts' Chas. Knight. London 1851 (with later reprints) under Glass. Sect VIII pp781-2 which specially notes (Moreover, the amalgam is liable to spoil by crystallization,' as both of these show; (c) the very thin glass (d) the mixture of timbers, oak for the frame and beech for the handle (e) the handle section offers firm confirmation of age in being now ovalized by the drying out of a green or unseasoned round section at the time of making, a factor that is constant to pole-lathe turnery of course. I should be inclined to date this 1780 or so. // [pencil sketch]'
Object name
Material
Associated subject
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_826.tif - High resolution image
