How to care for gilt mirrors and gilded frames

Gilding is delicate. Here’s how to dust, handle and hang antique gilt mirrors and frames without harming that lovely golden finish.

A carved gilt mirror is one of the most transforming things you can hang on a wall — and one of the most delicate. Antique gilding is astonishingly thin, and its soft, worn glow is precisely what makes it beautiful. The golden rule is: do as little as possible. Here’s how to care for gilt mirrors and picture frames safely.

Dust — very gently

Use only a clean, soft, dry brush — a large, soft artist’s brush or a make-up brush is perfect — to whisk dust out of the carving. Never use a damp cloth, water or spray polish on gilding: water lifts it, and polishes ruin it. If a frame is genuinely water-gilded, even a firm wipe can take the gold away.

Don’t “touch up” or clean the gold

It’s tempting to brighten tired patches with gold paint — please don’t. Modern gold paint looks brassy against real gilding and instantly harms both the look and the value. Genuine re-gilding is a skilled restorer’s job. A little wear and the warm, dull sheen of age is desirable, not a fault.

Clean the glass, not the frame

Spray glass cleaner onto the cloth, never straight onto the mirror, so nothing runs into the frame or behind the old plate (moisture is what causes that lovely — but fragile — foxing to spread). Keep all liquid well away from the gilt edges.

Hang it properly

Antique mirrors are heavy. Use two fixings into something solid, check the wire and rings are sound, and hang away from direct sunlight, radiators and steamy bathrooms — heat and damp are hard on both gilding and old glass. When carrying a mirror, hold the sides, keep it vertical, and never lift it by the top of the frame.

Handle the corners with care

The carved, protruding bits — crests, corners and flourishes — are where gilding chips most easily. Pad them when moving a frame, and store frames upright rather than stacked face to face.

Ornate French and English mirrors are a favourite of ours — see what’s currently in thecollection, or read aboutdecorating with antiques for ideas on where a good mirror can work its magic.