Preserving a Heirloom Quality Mirror Frame Made By A Local Artist
A local engineer and hobby carpenter, known for crafting heirloom-quality furniture reproductions, brought in a damaged vintage mirror. Heritage recreated the broken frame sections while preserving the rest of the original piece.
The goal of this project was to repair the mirror frame while preserving as much of its original appearance as possible. Only the damaged areas were addressed to maintain authenticity. The wooden base was loose with cracked seals that required stabilization. On both sides, curled fronds had broken off and needed replacement. The hanging wire was tightened to ensure stability. The most significant damage was a large leaf molding at the top of the mirror, which had been lost and required complete reconstruction.
The wooden base was carefully sealed to bond the cracked surfaces. Missing fronds were sculpted to match the original design and attached precisely without disturbing the rest of the frame. The new leaf molding was fabricated and installed above the existing laurels, then painted to blend seamlessly with the frame’s finish.
Once these repairs were completed, the mirror frame was considered fully preserved, restoring both its structural integrity and visual elegance while maintaining its historic character.
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