I bought this mirror about 10 years ago in Indianapolis at a shop that has since gone out of business. The mirror has a wooden frame with hammered copper decorations in MacIntosh style glued to the front. The glue degraded and two of the copper panels fell off and were bent. If anyone knows how to locate the craftsman that made the mirror originally I would very much appreciate receiving his contact information. Alternatively, if another craftsman feels confident in repairing this mirror, please contact me.

Mike Miller
303 Holiday Dr.
Tuscola, IL 61953
(217) 253-4991
mike@isavant.com

Mike,

Welcome to the forum. I do not recognize the maker of your mirror and I believe that this is a repair you can make yourself. I suggest using a construction adhesive such as Liquid nails. Apply a small amount and spread it on the wood then press the metal onto the wood surface and cover with newpaper and use books as weights to keep the metal in contact with the frame. Wait a day and remove the books. Any adhesive that may have squeezed out can be removed with your fingernails.

Best,

Fred,

Thanks for your input. I have a limited knowledge of sheet metal work, but I think proper repair will require metalworking tools, metalworking skills, and experience. In my opinion, the metal panels need to be straightened before they are re-glued to the wooden frame. If they are attached to the frame without first being straightened I think the bends will show. If the panels are not straightened properly the panels might end up looking worse than they do now. Although the mirror was not overly expensive when new, I would gladly pay a skilled craftsman to perform the repair.

Regards,

Mike

Mike,

I understand your predicament. Were you within driving distance I would gladly fix it for you.

The bends are not that extreme and I suspect that they will straighten out if clamped between two pieces of stout lumber. (say 2x4s). Once straightened they would adhere just fine. The frame does not appear to be hammered and instead embossed. The background seems smooth and the restorer will need to be careful not to distort the surface with hammer blows. I would check in your local yellow pages for restorers or perhaps even a store specializing in picture framing.

Best of luck,

Wooden mallets and the proper padding would work for straightening. As for the frame, the problem is the construction. It should have been nailed or riveted together in the first place. Liquid Nails doesn't work well with metal, in my experience. If it were my piece, I would join it together at the corners with separate pieces of copper held together with rivets then solder tabs to the back to hold the mirror, picture in place. That's how they usually did it back in the era. I do copper work; you can contact me privately if you are interested in a repair.