A Regency mirror is a mirror made in Britain during the Regency period, broadly from around 1800 to the 1830s, or in the style of that time. The period produced several distinctive types, of which the circular convex mirror is the most celebrated, along with overmantel mirrors, pier glasses and cheval mirrors.
The convex mirror, set in a deep gilded frame with a reeded or ebonised inner slip and often a ring of gilded balls, was fashionable in early nineteenth-century drawing rooms and dining rooms, where its curved glass reflected the room in miniature and spread candlelight. Many are surmounted by a carved eagle, dolphin or foliate cresting and sometimes fitted with candle branches. Overmantel mirrors of the period are typically rectangular with classical columns, a projecting cornice hung with balls and sometimes a verre églomisé or relief frieze. Frames were made of carved wood and gesso, then water or oil gilded. Collectors look for original mirror plates, which have a soft grey tone and slight imperfections, original gilding and crisp carving. Later regilding and replaced plates reduce value. Regency mirrors remain popular for their elegance and brightness in both period and modern interiors.
