Brief History of Vanity Mirrors

Vanity mirrors, whether attached to ornately decorated vanity tables or standing alone, have played an interesting role in helping people look their best for centuries. The simplest definition is a small (or large) mirror used for applying makeup. But that definition belies the level of inventiveness and craftsmanship that people have used over the years in crafting vanity mirrors as part of vanity tables or dressing room sets that embody luxury and sophistication.

Before Vanity Mirrors

While vanity mirrors have only been around for a few hundred years, vanity itself is as old as humanity. The earliest manufactured mirrors date to around 6,000 B.C. Found in modern-day Turkey, these mirrors were made of obsidian (volcanic glass) that reflected enough light to provide a person with a clear, though dim, reflection. Over time, different cultures such as the Greeks and early Chinese civilizations developed metal mirrors made of polished bronze and copper. The Venetians perfected the modern glass mirror by coating molten glass in an amalgam of tin and mercury while it cooled. From there, it spread across Europe like wildfire during the Age of Enlightenment.

The First Vanity Mirrors

Physical beauty has always been a way for elites to distinguish themselves from the masses, but this delineation took on its most extravagant dimensions in the courts of European monarchs starting in the 1600s. Aristocrats began commissioning highly decorative vanity tables, also known as toilette tables, with expensive mirrored glass built in. As these vanity tables became more in-demand, different designs proliferated. Some vanity mirrors from this period were built into tables also had wash basins, drawers, and concave mirrors that created magnification.

Modern Vanity Mirrors

In the 1920s and '30s, vanity mirrors and tables held on to their role as status symbols for the uniquely American aristocracy of film starlets. Rita Hayworth, Audrey Hepburn, Lana Turner, and others filmed scenes that showed them posing before vanities. While the ornate antiques from Europe never went away, they were overtaken by more affordable and simpler styles in the United States as vanity mirrors became commonplace in middle-class homes.

Whether you are looking to restore a 17th-century vanity table to its regal glory or build an art deco vanity that harks back to the Golden Age of Hollywood, Victorville Glass Company Inc. can help. We can cut and install mirrors from stock sheets or custom-make a pattern or curvature to fit your needs. We also provide residential window services and commercial glass services throughout the Victor Valley area. Call us today at 760-245-3456 for a free estimate on your project.