Mantel Mirror Value?
Ok, my wife hates this mirror. What is it worth? I have no idea. I think it’s original to the house, so that puts it about 1860. It’s huge. Also going to be selling the mantel as well. Intend to replace them with something my wife actually likes, and yes they will be period pieces,…
Ok, my wife hates this mirror. What is it worth? I have no idea. I think it’s original to the house, so that puts it about 1860. It’s huge. Also going to be selling the mantel as well.
Intend to replace them with something my wife actually likes, and yes they will be period pieces, she just doesn’t like these (don’t get me started).
Personally, mopar, I wouldn’t do it. What I loved most about my house, aside from the garden, was all the original detail. Some of it had been removed, but most of what hade been removed was carefully stored in the old coal vault. When I bought the house, I wrote into the contract that the original marble mantles, marble tiles from the foyer, doors, etc. that had been removed and stored in the vault had to stay with the house so I could restore them.
The proportions and decorative style will be off. It’s a stupid idea.
The period mantle and mirror his wife likes IS NOT GOING TO FIT IN WITH THE REST OF THE HOUSE. Leave well enough alone. If you don’t like Victorian, buy an 1820s house. Jeez.
Actually, CGar, I don’t believe it is OK to to renovate the house if that means removing original detail. I think people who do that are philistines. If you don’t like the original look of the house, don’t move there. If you inherited the house, then live with it or sell it. Buy the style you prefer. For example, I bought an Eastlake house because I do not like Renaissance revival.
You can also easily cover the mirror with framed art leaned against it, postcards, etc. See Rita Konig’s post this week on exactly this issue.
Agree if you must remove it, best thing to do is keep it in basement for future owners.
“If you prefer a modern apt, why don’t you move to one?”
Psssst, mopar, the man said he’s gonna put in a period mantle and mirror that his wife likes. He didn’t say he’s doing a modern renovation.
The whole room looks gorgeous as it is. Yes, it is Eastlake. You live in a historic building. Leave it alone. Your passing taste is of no relevance. If you lived in an 18th or 19th century building in France, would you reconfigure it to look like a modern skyscraper? This makes no sense. If you prefer a modern apt, why don’t you move to one? Or buy a place that has already been stripped? There are a lot of them available, and they sell for much less than ones like you have here with original detail.
“she just doesn’t like these (don’t get me started)”
Perspective people. HE likes the mirror. His wife doesn’t. I know it’s blasphemous around here (and I say this as someone who covets original detail and spent 10 years restoring missing detail in my house), but it’s perfectly okay for these owners to renovate the house as they like it, even if that means removing original detail, without regard to a potential future buyer.
That said, if divorce is not an option, I’d carefully remove and store the mirror and mantle in the basement for that “potential future buyer”.
It looks like a classic Eastlake mirror and marble mantle. Most definitely white marble under the paint. I agree with the people who say strip both and keep them, or at least store them for the next owner. Those things are what make the house special, and would most assuredly be a factor in someone buying it, if you ever sell.
If your wife doesn’t like the mirror there, consider using it in another room, it could look wonderful in its natural wood propped up against an empty wall, or in a bedroom. The mantle, stripped of the white paint, will be beautiful. I stripped 8 layers of paint, including brown, gold and pink, from a white and grey marble fireplace in my old rental, and it was absolutely gorgeous. Please think about it.
Why are you removing the mantle??? From the pic you have nice plaster crowns, a frieze of wedding cake plaster detail above the picture rail and a picture rail. It all seems to be nice Victorian detail. Maybe the mirror IS a bit over=the-top but the mantle looks great and that wouildn’t be expensive to have someone strip it. I suspect it’s either white marble or black stone…and will look really nice.