Mirror

a bit of history:

This is a double-sided (swivel) mirror. The inner marking “JAPAN” means this item is an authentic piece of mid-century Japanese Showa-era design, manufactured as an export item likely between the 1960s and 1970s. It is a modern device (plastic), echoing a vintage look. Mirrors from this precise collection often feature a standard 1x glass reflection on one side and a magnified view (typically provides either a 2x or 3x magnification power) on the reverse side when flipped or swiveled. The concept of this kind of mirror rose in the late 18th to 19th centuries as personal grooming and at-home shaving became popular.

Few points:

• The Origins: Before plastic, these mirrors were luxury items crafted by blacksmiths, carpenters, and metalsmiths. They were constructed entirely from solid brass, bronze, chrome, or cast iron, with bases carved from premium woods like mahogany and oak.
• The “Cheval” Mechanism: The term for a mirror that tilts or swings on a central axis comes from the French cheval mirror (or “horse mirror”), created in the late 1700s. Smaller versions were shrunk down into tabletop “dressing mirrors”.
• Early Functionality: By the late Victorian and Edwardian eras (1880s–1910s), dual-sided tabletop mirrors were standard luxury commodities. One side featured regular flat glass, while the reverse featured concave glass for a magnified view to aid in intricate makeup application or shaving.

The 1960s or other eras (which did not invent the dual-sided swivel mirror) transformed a centuries-old luxury design into a mass-produced staple, using affordable, molded plastic to bring it into everyday bathrooms.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/257290256217

-https://atelierdehahn.com/tri-fold-mirror/

-https://story.illinoisstatemuseum.org/content/lincoln%E2%80%99s-shaving-mirror

-https://antiquesworld.co.uk/history-styles-caring-antique-mirrors/

-https://en.pinkoi.com/product/W2zYAG3U