Restoring antique mirrors

[angryranga]

Hi guys, I recently aquire an old silky oak sideboard with a bevel edged mirror mounted in the back board that the silver coating has started to detoriate, my qestion is can the silver coating be stripped off and redone and if so any ideas as to where or who does it?

[Woodwould]

If the mirror is a plain square or rectangle, it would be cheaper to just order a new, bevelled glass. However, if it's irregularly shaped, any good glass supplier could have it re-silvered.

I use Varga Brothers (http://maps.google.com.au/maps/place?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=mirror+glass&fb=1&gl=au&hq=mirror+glass&hnear=0x6ad646b5d2ba4df7:0x4045675218ccd90,Melbourne,+VIC&cid=1623919551053624319) in Mitcham, but Bluff Mirror & Glass (http://maps.google.com.au/maps/place?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=mirror+glass&fb=1&gl=au&hq=mirror+glass&hnear=0x6ad646b5d2ba4df7:0x4045675218ccd90,Melbourne,+VIC&cid=17137548361351661079) would be closer to you.

[Antipodes]

How old, unique and collectable is the piece?

For the real hardcore antique people, deterioration on a mirror is just patina and replacing it with a new mirror or even re-silvering it will, more often than not, substantially alter the value of the piece (for the worse) if it's got some value to start with.

The French particularly are serious old mirror recyclers and you'll see ancient but seriously, seriously deteriorated mirrors regularly re-used in newer pieces.

Obviously if it's nothing special and you just want a pristine mirror then by all means replace it.

Be nice to see a photo.