A DECORATIVE MIRROR AND METHOD OF MAKING IT

Abstract: According to this method, a decorative mirror is made by gluing one or more glass plate (5-11) onto one face (4) of a glass sheet (2), and thereafter backing said face (4) along with the plates (5-11). Quite a peculiar optical effect is thus achieved because of the displacement and deformation undergone by the reflection plane defined by the surface being backed.

Description: This invention relates to a decorative mirror and a method of making it. As is known the artistic world is ever demanding novel technical instruments to enable artists to express their creative talents in a variety of fields. Mirrors, in particular, have ever since exerted a special charmon account of their peculiar way of interacting with light. In the past (but also at present) a mirror has been treated either like an oil painting canvas or a drawing board by painting directly on its front surface, its peculiar optical effect resulting from its areas left unpainted and, hence, light reflective. Another technique much resorted to heretofore has been the creation of mosaic structures by means of individual mirror elements which are variously colored. A further, and surely quite ancient technique is that of providing a mirror surface with patterns by either grinding or etching processes. More recently, a technique of silk-screening mirrors with patterns has been developed, mostly using a single color. Still another technique which is gaining some favor is that of applying small colored and variously shaped glass plates over a mirror front surface (see GB-A-688 390). An object of this invention is to provide a novel method of making decorative mirrors, which can be instrumental to the artist in his strive for new aesthetical effects. This object is achieved, according to the invention, by a method according to the characterizing clause of main claim. For backing, manual spray application may be dictated by the thickness of the applied solids forbidding the use of automatic equipment. The method yields, an artistic mirror having a highly peculiar optical effect which originates from dislocation and deformation of the reflecting plane (as defined by the backed surface) at each glued-on solid. This optical effect, which becomes specially evident and detectable in the instance of the solids being colored ones, opens to the artist quite new creative ways. A mirror made with the method of this invention will be next described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective rear view of a mirror made with the method according to the invention; Figure 2 is a front view in perspective of the mirror of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional detail view of the mirror of Figure 1, taken along the line III-III; Figure 4 is a perspective rear view of a mirror made with a modification of the inventive method; and Figure 5 is a sectional detail view of the mirror of Figure 4, taken along the line V-V. In the drawing figures, the numeral 1 designates generally a decorative mirror comprising a sheet 2 of plate glass (or of crystal glass) which has a front face 3 and a back, face 4, both flat and parallel to each other. The back face 4 of the sheet 2 is provided with a plurality of glass (or crystal glass) solids, in particular seven such solids respectively indicated at 5,6,7,8,9,10 and 11, which all have a flat front surface 12 (shown in Figure 3 is the surface 12 relating to the plate 8), being glued to the back face 4 of the sheet 2 in a manner known per se, such as by the use of polyvinyl butylate or some other suitable clear cement. The solids may have any shapes suiting the artist's preference; as an example, the solids 5-11 shown have substantially geometrical shapes. More precisely, the solid 5 is sheet-like flat and has a flat back surface 13; the solid 6 is fashioned after a segment of a sphere and has a back surface 14 of spherical shape; the solid 7 is a segment of a cylinder and has a back surface 15 of cylindrical shape; the solid 8 is conical and has a back surface 16 of conical shape; the solid 9 is pyramid-like and has a back surface 17 of pyramidal shape; the solid 10 has a generally rounded back surface 18; and the solid 11 has its back surface 19 generally faceted. The back face 4 of the sheet 2 is coated, along with the back surfaces 13-19 of the solids 5-11, with a backing layer or foil 20 constituting the reflective surface of the mirror 1. A modification of the method according to the invention envisages that plural solids be superimposed upon one another prior to backing. Of course, the back surface of each intermediate solid would have in this case to mate perfectly with the front surface of the next plate; of preference, the intermediate solids would be at least in part sheet-like. A mirror 21 obtained with this modified method is shown in Figures 4 and 5. The mirror 21 comprises a sheet 22 of plate glass (or crystal glass) having a front face 23 and a back face 24 which are flat and parallel to each other. Glued to the back face 24 is a flat front surface 25 of a sheet-like solid 26; the solid 26 has a flat back surface 27 onto which a flat front surface 28 of a sheet-like solid 29 is glued; the solid 29 has its flat back surface 30 formed with straight line impressions 31 and carrying the flat front surfaces 32 glued thereon of round-shape solids 33 which have a convex back surface. The back surface 24 of the sheet 22 is coated, along with the solids 26,29 and 33, with a backing layer 35 which constitutes the reflective surface of the mirror 21. As may be appreciated from the foregoing description and the drawings, a mirror according to this invention can provide optical effects which are quite new and peculiar; such effects can only be detected, of course, on viewing the mirror directly, and cannot be reproduced in a drawing, even in an approximate way, being more in the nature of light plays than well-defined image deformations. It should be also noted that a decorative mirror according to the invention is apt to retain its aesthetical characteristics over time without undergoing any deterioration due to dust or generic dirt deposits. In fact, its perfectly smooth and continuous front face presents no recesses wherein dust can collect.

Claims: A method of making decorative mirrors, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: gluing a glass solid having at least one flat surface (5-11) over one face (4) of a glass sheet (2); and backing said face (4) along with said solid (5-11) with a layer (35) constituting the reflecting surface of the mirror. A method of making decorative mirrors, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: providing a plurality of superimposed glass solids (26,29,33), the intermediate solids (26,29) being at least in part sheet-like, gluing said plurality of glass solids (26,29,33) together and to one face (24) of a glass sheet; and backing said face (24) along with said plurality of solids (26,29,33) with a layer (35) constituting the reflective surface of the mirror. A decorative mirror comprising a glass sheet (2,22), characterized in that it further comprises at least one glass solid (5-11;26,29,33) having at least one flat surface, with the flat surface glued to one face (4,24) of said glass sheet (2,22), and a backing layer (20,35) deposited over said face (4,24) and said at least one glass solid (5-11, 26,29,33), to constitute the reflective surface of the mirror. A mirror according to claim 3, characterized in that said glass solid (5-11; 26,29,33) is formed from colored glass.

Inventors: LIVI, VITTORIO
Applicants: FIAM S.R.L.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B44F1
IPC codes: B44F1, B44C3