Bobby Cranston, a lovely old man whom I employed for many years back in Ireland, had a wonderfully rich repertoire of witticisms and colourful colloquialisms. If someone in our company shared a joke, Bobby’s typical riposte was “Tell us another while your tongue’s warm”.
While waiting for the candle branches for the girandoles to arrive from the foundry – and with hands ‘still warm’ – I made these two diminutive wall mirrors.
Like the inchoate girandoles, the frame stock for these mirrors is pine, cross-veneered and cross-grain moulded in walnut. The glass plates were also commensurately aged.
One ready for polishing…
… and t’other after a little polish.
I purchased two brass picture hangers from Londonderry Brasses (item number HA 4). The hangers come with an antiqued finish, but finical as ever, I wanted to file off a few minor blemishes and enlarge the countersinks which of course necessitated entirely re-buffing the hangers and then re-colouring them in the Bucket of Wrath.
The two picture hangers, buffed…
… and aged again.
The hangers were attached to the frames…
… with steel screws.
I must find another photographer!
Pegs and 'Tails 
Ahh. . . The satisfaction of projects that proceed quickly and turn out well. Woodworking nirvana!
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How are you making the back of the mirror frame look as aged as it does?
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It’s just a mixture of stains to get the colour right and a few drops of glue as a fixative.
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Nice work. I’m beginning my journey into frame making. My curiosity runs to how you made your frame molding. If you could post your steps, I and perhaps others near the front end of their experience would benefit. For example, are you using one large 2 inch thick piece and then cutting it down with your moldings? What are your blade combinations to get the outstanding result?
Inspirational. Thanks.
Bill
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Bill,
If you read my most recent post on Girandole and Mirror Frame Moulding, you will see the construction of the frame stock and if you follow the link to the pair of girandoles I made earlier, you’ll get a better understanding of how I put them together.
JP
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