Featured Amazingly well-preserved antique of cheapo repro?

I just bought this mirror. It was not represented as being an antique, so I didn't get ripped off (I bought it at an estate sale and paid $30.00). The back of the mirror is marked Hitchcock Alford Co., Hitchcocks-ville, Conn. Below is the word Warranted. The "n" letters are printed backward.The mirror has lovely burled walnut and a reverse-painted floral painting. It measures 33" x 13".

My question-- if it's not old, what's the deal with the effort to make it look that way? There are no other maker marks on it.

 

The bottom part with the mirror in it appears to have once been a (1920s?) occasional table top that was cobbled together with the top portion. That being said, it just looks like that to me. My eyesight not great but if all 4 corners were "carved" - it would look like table furniture to me, so I think a furniture company did make it.

It would be good to show a picture of the details of it, the side, close up of the joints. It would not have been unique to glue pretty burled wood veneer over oak wood to decorate the top of a mirror. I do not know how old the piece is, may be new by re-design? The back looks very new.

 

All the pieces seem to be the same age--it just doesn't look old!

 

Yes Lynnie, very possibly it is new.
It's attractive.

 

Welcome, Lynnie! Perhaps you are not old enough to remember that in the 50's - 70's the US went through a period of "colonial style" decorating? At last one clue is the (R) (for registered trademark) next to CONN. The other clue (if we can see a picture of what the back of the mirror part looks like) is what appears to be a piece of particle board instead of the actual wood a much older piece would have.

 

I can see at least 3 or 4 different type of wood there (burled something, oak, maple? around the mirror), and Bakersgma is right about the particle board backing. A truly old mirror would have had, at least, thin plywood backing.

 

The original Hitchcock company was in business from 1818 until 2006. The mirror shown here is NOT antique, but it does appear to be authentic. Here's a bit of info:

https://antiques.lovetoknow.com/Hitchcock_Chairs

I got dragged thru the Hitchcock factory at least a dozen times when I was a kid - my mom was an interior designer in CT, so I got rather familiar with the brand... Note that the new owners do NOT have any info about prior Hitchcock models, years, etc, so it's not even worth asking them!

 

When I lived in Newburyport in the 70's and early 80's, there was a Hitchcock Furniture store at the Danvers-Topsfield town line on Rte 1 (at what is now, since the extension Rt 95) the northbound exit toward Newburyport. That whole area was filled with antique houses and recent houses built in the colonial style. Prime location for such a retailer.

 

I think the fiberboard on the back gives it away as new. Whoever made it, and whenever it was made, it's a lovely mirror and I'll treasure it. Thank you all for your help.

Lynnie

 

...and it was made about 25 miles from my house. They had their main factory in New Hartford, CT if memory serves - Litchfield County. Ovation Guitars had a plant out that way too. Their furniture was never meant to deceive. Once upon a time it sold for real money. Now... not so much.

 

That brings back some good memories. My very dear friend who also accompanied me on stage had an Ovation.

 

I use that road at least once a week going to a great thrift in Topsfield.

My present loveseat came from the store of which you speak.

Hitchcock was highly thought of for their quality.

My mother was so very proud when she was able to purchase a Hitchcock table and 4 chairs. She took such great care of it and then it went to my brother after she passed.

 

All is said about the age of your mirror, use it and like it as said!!
They are some single steps with a mirror to see if it's old, very old or recently mounted and newly made, you have to look at the surface from an angle about 45°(not very important)from the sides, if the image is good or perfect it's a recent production mirror(after that they are a lot of things to know his age), when you look closely on the sides between the wood and the glass you have the reflect of the dust and the result of the numerous cleanings and waxing which appears clearly.
When you have a good faker it put some brown or black wax on the sides to reproduce age but its too regular and it do be clean on the superior part and degressive to the bottom due to gravity which is near impossible to reproduce.

 

He had a good one. Their guitars were good performance instruments. Still are.