Early19th century New England fragment mirror. Rarely encountered triangular glass fragment set into a pine triangular molded frame. Retains its original dry reddish/brown. Chamfered back board. Dimensions: sides of mirror 8.25” x 6.5” x 7.5”; sides of frame 13.5” x 11” x 12.5”; width of frame 2.5".
Antiques with inventive, and often whimsical “make-do” repairs are examples of necessity and thrift in a time when hard work and great expense went into handmade finery such as pottery, porcelain and glass. Unlike today, when many people throw away anything that’s chipped, cracked or broken, practical folks of long ago refused to throw out a broken object if it could be fixed to “make it do.”
Make-dos were not just for people of limited means, but were found in the homes of every social class, mostly in the 18th and 19th centuries. When an item broke, it was either repaired at home or taken to a local tinsmith or woodworker for repair.
If an object couldn’t be salvaged for its intended use, it was often refashioned into something else entirely. Mirror glass used to be far too expensive to throw away, so make-do mirrors were made from pieces of broken glass carefully framed for reuse. You can usually tell a make-do mirror from its odd shape or size.