Mirored Glass

Graham Richards · Post by **Graham Richards** » Sat 02 Jun, 2007 12:52 pm

Hi - customer brought in very old handmade mirrored 3mm piece of glass, which he has broken (of course not his and told to take care of it with his life, now has to replace before returning to relatives in same condition). Has anybody any contacts who makes small bevelled edge mirror glass that is with a 30mm border all round and just plain glass in the middle as in a picture mount. Have tried all local suppliers and due to mercury being used no one will undertake pieces only 25cms x 35.5cms.

Any help would be appreciated!

Graham

realhotglass · Post by **realhotglass** » Sun 03 Jun, 2007 2:56 am

Graham,
This is an easy job for a silverer, that is someone that can silver flat or other shaped glass.
Mine here in Australia could mask that up and just silver the outside edge, so you should be able to find someone there that can do this.
Ask around some more glass companies for someone that can silver / resilverer glass, then order the clear bevelled glass from a glass co, then have the silverer do his part.

markw · Post by **markw** » Sun 03 Jun, 2007 5:02 pm

Graham - not sure what your asking here - do you want to find someone to bevel some antique mirror glass - the answer to that will be - no one will touch mercury silvered glass - Its just too dangerous to handle. You should advise your customer that mercury produces extremely toxic vapour and shouldn't be allowed in any domestic environment. If you have this stuff in your workshop then seal it in a polythene bag and return to customer.

You should be able to get most glaziers to bevel some modern antiqued mirror glass.

realhotglass · Post by **realhotglass** » Sun 03 Jun, 2007 8:44 pm

My understanding of it Mark, is it is a clear bevelled glass, with a 'mat' area for silvered mirror around the edge.

If so Graham, get the clear bevelled glass made, then find a silverer.

markw · Post by **markw** » Sun 03 Jun, 2007 9:07 pm

Pays to read the posting properly - but my comments re Mercury still apply - apart from that I suspect that Graham is going to have a hard job finding a silverer.

Dermot · Post by **Dermot** » Sun 03 Jun, 2007 10:28 pm

If you cannot find a source in the UK I think Dunnes Glass Ltd. Dublin 17 may be able to help or advise........ Tel: 00 353 1 8471511 there is a few hundred years of glass and mirror experience at this company........

osgood · Post by **osgood** » Sun 03 Jun, 2007 11:50 pm

markw wrote:- no one will touch mercury silvered glass - Its just too dangerous to handle. You should advise your customer that mercury produces extremely toxic vapour and shouldn't be allowed in any domestic environment.

I don't understand your statement Mark? What about the billions of people around the world who have mirrors in their homes?

What sort of effect should this toxic vapour have been having on us?

Is there an alternative to mercury as a silvering agent?

realhotglass · Post by **realhotglass** » Mon 04 Jun, 2007 5:25 am

You might be confused Mark (or I might be, and not know it yet !).

Mercury hasn't been used for many decades, so any silvering done would not involve this process.

osgood · Post by **osgood** » Mon 04 Jun, 2007 5:34 am

Thanks for clearing up the "mercury" thing Les!

I thought half the population of the known universe were about to be spifflercatified, volumanistercally by mercury vapour from our mirrors!

Pheiieeeew, that's a relief!!!

markw · Post by **markw** » Mon 04 Jun, 2007 7:14 am

Realhotglass is correct when he says that mercury hasnt been used for a long time - but I still get repair jobs in with mercury silvered mirrors - and by the sound of it Grahams glass was mercury silvered. General advice to anyone who gets in an old mirror for repair - if the back of the mirror has little beads of silver metal - or the surface leaves a silver deposit then you almost certainly have a mercury silvered antique mirror - and my earlier comments apply. There was a time when I wouldnt think twice about handling one of these - then I was told of the effects even a small exposure can have on humans - I wont allow the stuff in my workshop anymore.

Graham Richards · Post by **Graham Richards** » Tue 05 Jun, 2007 2:10 pm

Thanks for all the comments, yes it looks like mercury backing, this was purchased sometime ago in the Far East, when several ships company had the same picture framed. Have informed the customer of no joy as yet and to remove said broken item from the shop, but he has brought in a 4mm piece in the same style, but is not satisified with that, hope to change his mind soon.

lynnbmack · Post by **lynnbmack** » Wed 06 Jun, 2007 1:43 pm

Just a coincidence but did anyone hear the debate on Jeremy Vine today about the dangers/or not of Mercury in barometers etc!

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