Mirrored furniture, gorgeous and elegant, is becoming popular. What, in general, it is not surprising – mirrored furniture enhance the aesthetic value of the entire interior, giving it the features of elegance and originality. Mirrored furniture – by no means the invention of the present day. Tradition of furniture are a mirror of Venice, this is where the mirror began production in Europe. Of mirror surfaces made cabinets, dressers, tables. Then, in the era of Art Deco fashion appeared to mirror the entire furniture – superb examples can be seen online at auction sites. Today’s most popular subjects among designers – and a small coffee console tables, and – bedside tables. The history of mirrored furniture is full of drama and is more reminiscent of a detective story about industrial espionage.
Judge for yourself. Although the first prototypes of mirrors appeared in the third millennium BC in the ancient civilizations of China and America, and the mirrors reflecting more or less true humanity Got after many centuries. A significant breakthrough occurred in the early sixteenth century Venice. Were first obtained by mirror sheets with flat and smooth surface. For the price of such mirrors were comparable to the ship, so the Venetian authorities in order to maintain a monopoly on the popular and expensive item, held in secrecy of its production technology. Under the pretext to protect Venice from the fire, the masters of “mirror art” moved to the island of Murano, where they had to live in isolation, without contact with the outside world.
Masters were constantly supervised by a special secret service, they are forbidden under pain of death was to leave the island. Of course, in relation to the inhabitants of Murano that was cruel, but Venice guarded so their financial interests, as Murano glass and mirrors were very expensive. The aristocrats were willing to pay for Italian products fortunes. The neighbor-France was not going to tolerate this state of affairs. On special decree of King Louis XIV’s minister Colbert it was organized the kidnapping of several Venetian masters of the island of Murano. In the course went all – threats, bribery, poisoning … Of course, Venice protested and even insisted on returning masters. But the deed was done – in France, has appeared mirror manufacture. Since then, centuries have passed, production technology improved mirrors, and the cost and the mirrors, and, accordingly, the mirror furniture became available to ordinary consumers. Moreover, the developed and are already in sale of coatings that allow the mirror to make furniture by hand. That’s good! After all, mirror furniture can bring to our interiors shine, the beauty and mystery inherent in all mirrors.