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Sunday 28 February 2021

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL ..........





My lovely friends Lucy and Steve gave me this mirror for my birthday ..... how wonderful was that !!!! There is a little story about it that I thought I would relate ! About 35 years ago, I saw this mirror in an antique shop in Hertford ..... I loved it because it had the art nouveau copper inserts which would go well in our house as we have lots of original art nouveau fireplaces. Slightly ' off piste ' to give you a bit of background, our house was built by a theatrical costumier, wig maker and hairdresser named Walter Waller in 1890. 



He lived in Paradise House which was beautiful and way out of our league. He was obviously into building property and built three houses, one of which is ours ..... The Laurels, The Briars and The Ivies. Obviously artistic, he had a flair for interiors. I was told by our local historian that, when building a house in the late Victorian/early Edwardian era, you  just popped to the local fireplace shop and chose your fireplaces .... well, he really chose well in our house { well, I think so } .....


..... anyway, I digress, back to the mirror ..... where was I ? .... Oh yes, I saw this overmantle mirror so, measured it, went home and checked it would fit and thought that I would go back and get it a couple of days later only , when I went back, the mirror had gone. A few weeks later we went to see our friends Lucy and Steve and, low and behold, the mirror I coveted was hanging on her wall !!!! Her Mum lived in Hertford and had bought it for her ...... fast forward thirty odd years and they gave it to me. I told them that I would cherish it ..... I was obviously meant to have it ..... eventually. 


XXXX




Jackie

45 comments:

  1. Unreal story, but a great one. It found its way to you.

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    1. Hi Donna ..... great to hear from you and hope you and your family are doing well. I think that the mirror was meant to end up with me ! XXXX

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    1. Haha ... yes .... a bit of a long wait but it became mine, all mine in the end !!!! XXXX

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  3. "If it was meant for you, you'll get it - otherwise it wasn't meant for you" - as some of these Buddhist's saying go.
    This one is wonderful, dear Jackie - and such a lovely birthday present and surely a big surprise! Utterly lovely!! XXX

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    1. I feel that it was meant to belong to me Britta. We are all just custodians of old pieces so now it is my time.... and, it was indeed a massive surprise and very generous of them. Hope you are well Britta. XXXX

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  4. A treasure Jackie . . .
    Resting now with you. . .
    Charming and beautiful, loved the story . . .

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    1. I loved that it came full circle Lynne. We will now both have got enjoyment from it. It’s funny the way things happen isn’t it ? XXXX

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  5. I was going to compliment you on the mirror but I got side-tracked by creating little snowstorms with the cursor.

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    1. Haha ! Far more interesting than reading my drivel !!! XXXX

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  6. Oh wowww what a great story about a beautiful mirror...love happy week from me 🍀🍀🍀

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    1. Thanks Ria .... wishing you a lovely week. XXXX

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  7. What a wonderful tale! It's a mirror worth waiting for and cherish it you will! And Walter's ads are so interesting, what a busy chap! Costumes for every published Play, suggests there was an identifiable look to a play so the audience was always on familiar ground. Have you ever been to Paradise (House)? I must see if there are pics around. xx

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    1. I’ve tried to find out about Walter Waller but there isn’t much information that I can find. Just Paradise House and his adverts. Paradise House looks similar to our house but on a much grander scale !!!! It is about a mile away from ours. I’ll find the photo I have of it and maybe do a post about it. ... I maybe went to paradise in my twenties pip .... haha !!! XXXX

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  8. Jackie dear, that's a gorgeous Victorian overmantel mirror - I've seen others online for sale but none as lovely as this one. How amazing that it was owned by friends all that time and now you have it at long last. Great friends BTW!
    Such an interesting story of your house - oh to go to a fancy dress ball again. . . . or even just pop into a pub would be a great night out!

    Stay well - be safe.
    Hugs - Mary

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    1. Hi Mary,
      Over the years I have bought quite a few overnantles ... I love how ornate everything was .... the Victorians tried to make everything beautiful didn’t they ? ... even toilets !!!! Lucy and Steve live in a house very similar to ours but she is now inti Art Deco so gave me the mirror as she thought it would suit our home !
      Look after yourselves .... have you had your injections yet ? XXXX

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  9. What a wonderful story. All the original fireplaces in my Victorian Brighton house had been removed, and the fireplaces blocked-up. I've replaced a few of them, but what a shame that someone took them all out. We're not allowed smoky fires in Brighton; but after dark.....

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    1. I couldn’t believe that our house had retained every one of its fireplaces .... even the bedroom ones were all still here ! As I said to Mary, the Victorians/Edwardians made everything beautiful didn’t they ? Even their toilets were decorated with flowers !!!! XXXX

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  11. WHICH HOUSE IS YOURS?
    I LOVE LOVE LOVE WHAT THIS MAN DID!RIGHT UP MY ALLEY!
    I WAS IN HERTFORD in about 1979!!
    I LOVED IT TOO!HAD dinner at a home that was older than you and me put together!I was in my element.......Think that trip and a few others made me into what I ADORE TODAY!
    THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL STORY YOU SHARED!
    I WAS MEANT TO BE!!!!
    XXX

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    1. Our house is The Laurels Elizabeth. I think my next post will be about Walter Waller and his house. I have tried to research him but can’t find much ! How brilliant that you have been to Hertford. It’s the county town of Hertfordshire and very expensive ! I like to think that I am looking after the mirror for a while ! XXXX

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  12. Such an amazing story. It's a small world as they say!

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    1. It is Jessica as we often find. Was thinking of you today as I was out in the garden moving plants !!! XXXX

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  13. Sorry, I seem to have missed this post Jackie. I have sort of lost the thread of it now but the mirror looks good. Xxx

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    1. No worries Rachel. Thanks for still commenting . XXXX

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  14. Amazing how this beautiful mirror found its way back to you. Lovely friends to gift it to you. All your fireplaces are fantastic, Wallace definitely chose well. Your taste in decor lines up perfectly.

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    1. Thanks so much Susan. I think my next post will be about Walter Wallace although I don’t know much about him !!! XXXX

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  15. Everything comes to those who wait.

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  16. Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? I'm sure you've heard the story. office.com/setup

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    1. I have .... I’m not the fairest one though !!! XXXX

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  17. Jackie, just stopping in to see how you are doing! I hope you are doing well during these challenging times.

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    1. Hi Elizabeth,
      How lovely to hear from you. Hope you are coping OK ... stay safe. XXXX

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