We hear the term wrought iron often, but what is it really? The term can mean the material, which is a type of iron mixed with additives that make it pliable enough to twist but harder to corrode. Wrought iron mirror, gates, and other fixtures were made of this material in order to add the decorative twists associated with this design. This variety of iron mixture has been used only in Europe since 1969 because the demand for it has been low and the cost of it is high. If it is authentic wrought iron, it contains iron silicate, or slag, that makes it strong, yet workable, corrosion resistant, and able to hold a finish. If it does rust, the rust will be a pretty dappling of copper or brown color that adds to its sense of antiquity.
Today's meaning of wrought iron usually does not refer to the material, but to the process or design of the metalwork. The metal used today is more likely to be steel or cast iron that resembles the antique curls, scrolls, and twists of the wrought iron designs made during the Iron Age, Medieval Era, and Protestant Reformation. These distinctive accessories-including wrought iron mirrors, candleholders, and lamps-are beautiful and less expensive than the authentic wrought iron material. They can, however, be more brittle because they do not contain the slag. Today's wrought iron products are often made from a mold instead of being handcrafted.
You can still find handmade wrought iron mirrors. The handcrafting leaves each wrought iron mirror with unique workings since only molds produce perfect symmetry. These wrought iron mirrors will be quite heavy because of the weight of the iron itself. Fine Crafts and Imports, which sells wrought iron mirrors handcrafted in Mexico, advertises mirrors that weight up to 51 pounds because the whole frame is wrought iron. Other companies use the wrought iron as a decorative accent along the top of a frame of some other material, such as wood. This makes the mirror lighter in weight but still gives it the beauty of the wrought iron design.
Whether you choose a solid wrought iron mirror or a mirror with wrought iron accents, you will enjoy the beautiful curlicues and elegant designs that are associated with wrought iron metalwork. When planning to buy a wrought iron mirror, you need to consider the weight of it to hang it properly.