Antique Mirrors on the Wall,
Make your Home Fairest of All…

Antique mirrors have ageless beauty, mystique and charm. Wherever they are placed, these qualities radiate and transform the space.

Antique Mirrors add the finishing touch when it comes to decorating a home. Even an antique mirror on your dressing table completes the overall look of the bedroom. An antique mirror placed strategically on a wall in a room creates an illusion of additional space by reflecting the light, be it natural or artificial. An antique wall mirror can also be used as a piece of artwork on the wall especially if the frame has especially beautiful carving.

Antique Mirrors originally were small and hand held pieces of highly polished metal and were followed by larger and full length mirrors in the 1st century AD. In the 16th century ornate mirrors with heavy carvings and scrollwork or decorative metalwork were created. The mirrors themselves were made from a piece of glass backed with tin and mercury. This craft started in Venice and spread throughout Europe and by the end of the 17th century both mirrors and their frames started appearing in silver, ebony, tortoiseshell and ivory. Some frames were also decorated with needlework and beads. Carved frames were common in mirrors for mantels and table mirrors with replaceable frames.

Select antique mirrors depending on

• Purpose
• Budget
• Style

Once you find some antique mirrors you like to take printout or a photo of them and try them at the places you want them to be.

Remember to avoid

• Wavy and grayish looking antique wall mirrors
• Thin antique wall mirrors as they do not reflect well
• Antique wall mirrors that reduce the size of the reflection

In genuine antique mirrors make objects appear closer than they actually are.

Vantage points for antique mirrors so they reflect interesting subjects:

• Entry hall where you want to see your own reflection
• Opposite a window to reflect a view
• On a mantel to create a strong focal point
• Above a hall console or table in a corner to lighten a dark area

Selecting framed antique wall mirrors

• Framed antique wall mirrors should complement the shape of other furniture in the room, traditional or contemporary
• Ethnic, whimsical antique wall mirrors are good in non-traditional settings
• The finish on the frame of antique wall mirrors should blend with the furniture in the room, be it traditional wood, gilded, or distressed paint
• Make sure the frame of the mirror contrasts with the color of the all so it will stand out
• When an antique wall mirror is placed over furniture, it should relate to the furniture below it in value and color
• Create contrast and eclecticism with the furniture in the room

Frame material of antique wall mirrors: There are many options including finished wood (stained or painted), metal, bamboo, and stained glass.

Design of the antique wall mirrors: many styles to choose from with Louis XIV style probably being the most ornate to Louis Philippe style which is unadorned with very little carving.

The size of the frame of antique mirrors should

• Complement to the size of the furniture in the room
• Be grouped with some other paintings or scones if they are very narrow
• Be hung vertically over a chest or console if they are longer than the piece of furniture
• Be hung alone, without furniture beneath them if they are large vertical mirrors
• Be grouped with framed art, porcelain plates, or figurines if they are medium sized and placed above a dresser, chest, or table
• Be grouped if they are a collection of tiny mirrors with inventive frames

www.OldPlank.com offers an incredible collection of Antique Mirrors, Vintage Mirrors, Antiques and Collectibles imported from France and England. Antiques on Old Plank Road, 331 East Ogden Avenue, Westmont, IL 60559.

Article Author: Meshaal McLean

The Vintage Pedal car - the earliest environmentally-friendly car!

There are different schools of thought regarding the “vintage” designation for cars. Some people think the end of world War I defined the end of the vintage era while the British insist 1930 was the year up to which a vintage car could be built. On the other hand, Americans prefer 1925 since it is the pre-classic car period as defined by the Classic Car Club of America. Some consider the start of World War II to be the end of the vintage period.

Vintage French Eureka Fiat Pedal Car

A Vintage Pedal car is powered by the feet and legs of the rider which is why they are the earliest environmentally-friendly cars. The late 1800s brought a two-seater horse and buggy version of Pedal cars, complete with functional pedals and a set of reigns to steer the horse. In 1930, an enclosed bicycle called the Velocar was invented in France, as the first human-powered car for human transportation.

A pedal car is a quadracycle. The Mochet Velocar seems to be the earliest example. Though originally designed for adult transportation, they were more popular with children and for adult recreation. A vintage Pedal car was usually built for racing. A “Surrey” is a four-wheeled, canopy-covered quadracycle, usually rented to vacationing adults. A racing Pedal Car is a four wheeled human powered single seater sports car used in Pedal Car Racing. Pedal Car Racing is a circuit racing endurance sport where teams of up to six drivers race single-seater human powered sports cars in races of up to twenty-four hours duration.

Vintage French ’40s Bentwood Roadster
In Original Condition

The design of a vintage Pedal car was not limited to an automobile body, here are some other examples:

• Tractors and dump trucks for a farmer or a construction worker
• Motorcycles
• Fire trucks
• A helicopter-style vintage pedal car
• Tugboats, speed boats and cruise ships made into pedal cars

Vintage Pedal cars are very popular with antique collectors and sports enthusiasts Whether it is a vintage pedal car, retro or modern, a pedal car stirs childhood memories and nostalgia.

France circa 1940: A Vintage French ’40s Bentwood Roadster: in original unrestored condition it would make a dynamite prop or the perfect gift for an auto enthusiast of any age.

OldPlank.com offers an incredible collection of Antiques and Collectibles imported from France and England. Antiques on Old Plank Road, 331 East Ogden Avenue, Westmont, IL 60559.

Author: Meshaal McLean

The careful selection of antique outdoor and antique garden accessories and statues when planning an outdoor area or garden is very important. We tend to make mistakes in the selection antique outdoor and antique garden accessories and statues in relation to the size and quantity.

The following are a few factors for selecting antique outdoor and antique garden accessories and statues:

• Style of your home and garden: If your home and garden are of the urban, contemporary or country style, then choose antique outdoor and antique garden accessories and statues that compliment the style and feel of your house and garden. Avoid choosing a classical statue in a contemporary-style garden. Antique outdoor and antique garden accessories and statues fit well in a traditional home or garden or you could choose a Vintage English Garden Fountain Statue. It is also possible to mix and match to create original and exciting garden compositions. Consider a Vintage French Metal Wire Planter, an Antique English Garden Urn or an Antique English Cut Stone Post Cap.
• Try decoys at various points in your garden and the outdoors: Try making cut-outs of possible choices and place them at different points in your garden or outdoor area. This not only helps you to visualize how garden ornaments will fit into your garden but will open up the space to other options for placement. Consider a Vintage English Garden Fountain Statue, Antique English Carved Stone Pan Statue or Antique English Cut Stone Fish



• Treat your outdoors as would treat your indoors: With interior design there is usually a theme or a focal point. The outdoors are not any different. Consider your garden in terms of its size and the existing trees, shrubs and floral plants. Decide within these confines which antique outdoor and antique garden accessories and statues would work well. Consider a Vintage French Steel Garden Table, a Vintage English Cut Stone Sundial or a Pair of Vintage French Faux Bois Garden Seats
• Simplicity is still the mother of beauty: Don’t clutter the space and take the time to plan. One carefully chosen piece from a selection of antique outdoor and antique garden accessories and statues creates more presence and harmony ten random pieces. You can also consider an Art Nouveau Marble Fountain, a Large Scale French Faux Bois Birdhouse or a Vintage Italian Hand Cut Stone Fountain



• Multiple pieces and styles enhance an outdoor space if strategically placed: The style and theme of each corner of your garden requires a different approach with different types of antique outdoor and antique garden accessories and statues. They will remove the monotony of having the same antique outdoor and antique garden accessories and statues but will serve to animate and personalize a space. The shade under trees and shrubbery is a perfect spot for animal figures or a stone bench. Choose from a Vintage English Park Bench, an Antique American Cast Iron Bench or a Pair Vintage French Faux Bois Garden Seats
• Element of surprise and magic: Small stone rabbits, birds, and other animals can be discreetly placed in the vegetable patch, bushes and shrubbery. These will not fail to surprise any of your guests and friends and enthrall children. Or consider a Vintage English Painted Garden Deer, an Antique English Garden Gazelle or a Pair Antique Terracotta Gargoyles for your antique outdoor and antique garden accessories and statues
• Outdoor Garden Art Ornaments and Garden Statuary for your garden look best in a frame: A stone wall or trellis covered with roses, a simple wooden fence, all these would add to garden’s appearance by serving as a natural frame. Or consider a Large Scale French Faux Bois Birdhouse or an Antique French Army Officer’s Folding Chaise Longue and Cot
• Simplicity and versatility: Antique outdoor and antique garden accessories and statues such as containers, jars and vases add style to your garden without eclipsing it. Choose from vases and urns. or consider a Antique English Eagle on Ball Garden Statue, a Vintage English Garden Eagle or a Vintage English Birdbath.

OldPlank.com offers incredible collection of Antique Garden Accessories, Antique Garden Statues, and Antique Garden Decor imported from France and England. Antiques on Old Plank Road, 331 East Ogden Avenue, Westmont, IL 60559.