The Small Detail On A Thrift Store Mirror That Can Signal A Highly Unique Find

When shopping for antique and vintage decor, a well-trained eye is always looking for easy-to-spot details that tell you that you've scored big at the thrift store. Features like dovetail joints on wooden furniture and maker's marks on pottery are common tip-offs. There are also plenty of lesser-known indications that can help you spot a great deal next time you're shopping for second-hand treasures. Even something seemingly ordinary like a thrift-store mirror can hold secrets. If you find a mirror with an electric cord, it could be worth examining more closely. You might have an infinity mirror from the 1970s in your hands.

To make an infinity mirror, you sandwich lights between two mirrors in a chunky frame — typically aluminum, brass, or wood. You can DIY these quirky fixtures, but finding a vintage mirror at a thrift store is a real score. They were popular during the disco era in the late 1970s and early 1980s, coming in a variety of shapes and styles. Today, you can find vintage infinity mirrors online, with smaller or lower-quality fixtures costing a few hundred dollars. Larger mirrors can go for thousands of dollars each, especially if they have the original cord and the lights still work. On online auction sites like 1stDibs, authentic vintage 1970s infinity mirrors start at just over $1,000, and they're not always in perfect condition.

If you're learning how to shop for vintage mirrors, it may not seem obvious at first what to look for and what has value. It could be easy to walk right by one of these treasures. In addition to keeping your eye out for an electric cord, carefully examine the frame. It should be made of metal, not plastic, and thick enough to house the lightbulbs and the two mirrors. To authenticate your latest thrifting find, look for labels, stamps, or maker's marks on the back of the fixture — typically, you can expect to see the designer's signature, manufacturer labels, model or item numbers, or the country of origin. To help you determine the value of any items you're considering, see if an online search of the text returns any results. You can also take a photo of the mirror and markings to use in a reverse image search.

What you find at the thrift store may not even work. If you find one of these mirrors, ask to plug it in to check the connection. Sometimes the fix is simple, like replacing a few lightbulbs or the cord. Those aren't deal breakers, especially if you like the way the mirror looks. If you decide to learn how to rewire the mirror yourself, you'll have a new skill that lets you make any thrifted lamp work like new again. Plus, you'll save money on specialist repair costs. Alternatively, an infinity mirror still works like a regular mirror even if the bulbs no longer light up. Fixing a damaged infinity mirror isn't always straightforward, though. They're made with a special kind of gray glass with a baked-on mirror coating. If the glass is hazy or cracked, it's harder to replace than a regular mirror.