Carved wood, beveled glass mirror, with some possible history?

[pantrwrstl]

So I purchased a mirror at a garage sale today, paid more than I would have liked for a mirror (200$!) especially since I don't know anything about it really, but the lady was nice and she let me have it for half of what she was asking. So her story was it was purchased from the estate of Adeline Bender, a Chicago Lyric Opera Diva (whom I can find no information about), and who is also the god daughter of Rudolf Bing, former manager of he Metropolitan Opera House. I assume the mirror was purchased around Indiana, as that is where the couple had moved from and most of their other stuff hailed from. Anyway the frame of it is absolutely beautiful, the mirror is in good shape with a few minor marks and a ding or two around the edges. The only mark I can find is that of a Chas. D Cooper, Man'f'r of MIRROR PLATES, 188-190 W. Houston St., NY. Other than that I haven't a clue about this thing and was curious what you guys thought or if you knew of this Chas. D Cooper fellow and when he manufactured mirrors. The only info I could find on a Chas. D Cooper was that of a physician who lived in the early 1800's in the new york area. The frame measures 23"x34" and the mirror is 14"x24"if it helps. I'll post links to some pics to check the piece out so you can let me know what you think. Thanks in advance. Andy

Frame, minus the mirror
[img width=700

Frame Corner for detail


the Mirror


Mr. Coopers stamp

[talesofthesevenseas]

Lovely and it sounds like you've already done all your homework. Good job! I don't quite know what more can be told about it, it sounds like you've done all the work already! There is probaby not going to be a way to verify with certainty who owned it, if it did not come with the original reciept and no old sales records from the company exist

[cogar]

That looks more like a picture frame to me, rather than a mirror frame.

The "fit" of the mirror into the back of the frame and the "parts n' pieces" used to affix it there will give you a clue as to its originality.

[talesofthesevenseas]

I am also wondering if the "carved" pieces are not carved, but molded out of wood pulp that is attached to the solid wood part of the frame? I would look at this to see if it is in two pieces glued/nailed on and if the grain continues from the frame into the raised carved part.

[mart]

Frame looks like it would date from around 1900 or a bit later.  I agree,, it looks like a picture frame that has been repurposed for the mirror.  From what I can see the carving looks to be applied rather than carved as part of the frame !!

[pantrwrstl]

raised carved part is definitely glued on or nailed on at some point, my first thought after taking the mirror out was that it looked liked a picture frame, the frame fits perfectly but is held in similar as a painting would, with basically just a piece of cardboard backing it and being nailed to be held into place with 10 or so nails...

[mariok54]

The images have gone now, but when I looked last evening, it looked like beading to me ... but impossible to say

[cogar]

Such frames were normally made out of 3 to 4 different pieces of wood moulding that were nailed together. The "design" was not carved in the wood but molded on top of the wood using Plaster of Paris or equivalent.

Rough treatment will result in parts n' pieces of said plaster breaking off. And to repair such breaks you must put new plaster or paintable caulking back on and paint it accordingly.

[mariok54]

The Pics are back, and on closer inspection I think you're right cogar, it isn't carved.
I had a really nice frame a few years back that had lost small sections of its moulding, and I was amazed at how simple it was to make a cast from what was remaining,and repair it with good old plaster of Paris.