Thursday, August 5, 2010

Object of the Day: Antique Painted Tri-fold Shaving Mirror

Leave it to the mid-Nineteenth-Century English to imbue something as pedestrian as a shaving mirror with an entirely new level of style. At first glance, this is a fluid landscape painting in an ebonized wooden frame carved to resemble bamboo. Against an angry sky, a nautical scene plays out in front of ominous-looking gray stone towers


However, on closer inspection, you can see that there’s a little brass latch to the right of the painting. Unhook the latch and you reveal a mirror. But, not just a mirror. There’s another painting. This time, we have waves breaking against a rocky shore. Little figures scurry into a typically English cottage nestled into the crags.

But, that isn’t all. Behind that painting is another mirror, and, on its reverse, still another mirror. Opening into a trifold, you now have a three-way mirror to allow the user to see all sides of his face as he shaves.

A very clever design, mirrors such as this would have adorned a gentleman’s room and provided a necessary service while hiding away something as commonplace as a shaving mirror. This is an object that speaks volumes about Victorian ingenuity, mastery of design and functionality. Even the simplest of objects were elevated to new levels of artistry.



4 comments:

Dashwood said...

Isn't that a cool little piece! It may not be shower-proof but it surely shows how much care, thought and design can go into the simplest things.

Joseph Crisalli said...

Thanks, Dashwood. No, this wouldn't be good to shave in the shower. Definitely not, shatter-proof. But, a lot more attractive.

Anonymous said...

I love this mirror! Is it in your personal collection, or is it available for purchase?
Kind regards,
Diane

Joseph Crisalli said...

Thank you, Diane. It is in my private collection and not for purchase. I'm sure you can find a similar one somewhere. Keep looking!