At Pollyanna’s Antiques, we love a piece that makes an ordinary morning feel a little more glamorous. This vintage ornate brass vanity mirror does exactly that, with a swirl of roses, leaves and scrolls framing the glass like a jewelry box turned inside out.
A Mid-Century Take on Old World Style
In the middle of the last century, decorators fell in love with the grand looks of 18th-century European design, and makers answered with cast brass pieces full of flourishes. This mirror is a beautiful example of that neo-ornate revival. Look closely and you’ll find a scallop shell at the base of the frame, blooming flowers at each side, and a crest of curling acanthus leaves across the top.
The frame swings on two pivots set into a graceful curved cradle, so you can tilt the glass just where you want it. Below, a pierced heart-shaped stem rises from a sculpted footed base covered in scrolls, giving the whole piece a sense of lift, like it’s standing on tiptoe.
Glass With a Story to Tell
The mirror itself shows soft clouding and delicate veining where the silvering has aged over the years. Many collectors treasure that kind of patina, since it gives the glass a dreamy, candlelit quality that a brand-new mirror simply can’t match. It’s a reminder that this piece has spent decades on someone’s dressing table.
Set it on a vanity beside a perfume tray, add it to a bedroom dresser, or let it catch the light on a hallway console with a small vase of flowers. The warm golden brass looks lovely with both cream and deep jewel tones.
Come see it in person at Pollyanna’s Antiques, 287 North Avenue in downtown Mt. Clemens. We’re open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 to 4, and we’d love for you to take a look.