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Antique Questions Forum / Re: mirror with scary faces

« on: February 25, 2010, 11:56:06 am »

I really would like all of you to know that I appreciate all your advice and opinions.  I have had questions on this piece for decades... I live in Alaska and there are darn few antique dealers unless you are interested in gold pans  or gold dredge buckets!!!

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: mirror with scary faces

« on: February 25, 2010, 11:54:10 am »

Well then, it sounds like if I keep it and the wife wants to use it, it needs to be refinished. I am leaning this way...Thank you everyone for your interest.  It has been in my family since before I was born, I did discuss with my mother that if the value were in the thousands, I would sell it, but if it is only a few hundred dollars then it is worth more to me as a gift to be kept in the family.
 
To KC...if the faces were to ward off evil spirits, would it have been an american factory manufactured piece...in your opinion??

Cogar...I believe the face is carved from the other half, but as you say i haven't seen any nails but the whole board which the face sits on, is smooth which to me means that the face is seperate...there is no surface uneveness of the surface of the frame, it all feels smooth right to the edge of the face and into the nooks and crannies.  This would indicate a seperatly applied piece-would it not? Then again I am not a professional by no means.

Is it worth taking any parts I can apart and look for some name or something???

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: mirror with scary faces

« on: February 21, 2010, 04:25:19 pm »

I did discover the face is applied seperatley, thank you luxetveritas for the call on that one, The grain lines up beautifull but I did get my nail under a portion of it.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: mirror with scary faces

« on: February 21, 2010, 04:16:45 pm »

Thanks for all who have responded,  the hanger on the mirror are attached to the fram via a bolt going through and nutted on the back.  The carved face has an appearance of being carved into the wood because looking at the grain, both the face and the frame grains line up very well and looking over the edges of the carved face,  I see no gaps or irregularity that may suggest a seperate piece glued or dowled to the mirror frame.  I am eclosing a picture of the back,  I see no names or indications of manufacture except for the the numbers 8 6 8 9 on the back in the upper right of the photo.   D&B antiques,  thank you for your input,  can you tell me if you have seen a similar mirror,  I believe you must have due to your suggestion of the origin, but I have two old camel back trunks, ( Mcginney or some similar manufacture) and the accents have a resemblance to the brass hangers on this mirror.  Is there at all any chance in your opinion that is not american manufactured??  ALso to all,  after watching Antiques road show,  I have learned do not clean or alter the finish of your antiques.  If the value is only several hundred dollars, would it be a great tragedy to strip the old finish to reveal the beautiful oak that lies underneath??

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Antique Questions Forum / mirror with scary faces

« on: February 19, 2010, 08:28:30 pm »

Inheritied this mirror, it is said to have come from Scotland in the mid to late 1800s with my great grand parents.  It has 4 coat hooks with lion faces made of brass and painted black,  and a carved face at the top ( as best as I can describe)of old man winter.  the mirror is beveled and the frame oak. On the back are the number 8689 which appear to be punched in. two brass looking hanging tabs at the top of the mirror.  I have checked with other dealers and none have ever seen anything like it. So hopefully someone in this forum can help.