Mirrors

A rare set of three large wall mirrors produced by Nygeverken in Nyköping, Sweden, during the 1960s. Each mirror is constructed with a rosewood frame surrounding a large rectangular mirrored-glass plate.

The rosewood provides most of the visual character. Its surface ranges from warm reddish and chestnut brown to considerably darker brown and almost black figuring, with long irregular grain patterns running through the individual frame members. The mitred construction changes the direction of the grain at each corner, emphasizing the geometry of the rectangular frame. Against the neutral mirrored glass, the richly figured timber creates a strong but controlled material contrast characteristic of Scandinavian furniture and interior objects of the period.

Nygeverken was based in Nyköping and produced mirrors in several formats and woods during the postwar period. Surviving examples include both rosewood and teak models, and Swedish auction records document Nygeverken mirrors in a range of rectangular proportions. The presence of an original Nygeverken label on this set provides direct evidence of manufacture. The label carries the triangular Nygeverken mark and Swedish headings for number, size and price; the handwritten notation appears to identify the model or series, although it is not sufficiently clear to establish a definitive model name from the photograph alone.

The mirrors belong to the Scandinavian Modern tradition of the 1960s, in which simple geometry was frequently combined with visually expressive natural materials. Rather than introducing sculptural decoration, the design reduces the object to the functional relationship between a narrow wooden perimeter and a large reflective plane. Rosewood was particularly suited to this approach because its pronounced grain could provide variation and depth without requiring additional ornament. Comparable Nygeverken rosewood mirrors are consistently attributed to Swedish manufacture in the 1960s.

The three matching mirrors can function individually or as a coordinated architectural group. Installed alongside one another, their repeated vertical proportions create a regular sequence of rosewood borders and reflective surfaces, while the natural variation in the timber prevents the composition from becoming completely uniform. Their tall, narrow format is particularly characteristic of full-length and dressing mirrors of the period.

The set remains in good vintage condition with small signs of use. The rosewood frames retain a warm, well-developed surface with minor marks, scratches and tonal variations associated with age.

Each mirror measures approximately 65 cm wide, 2.5 cm deep and 133 cm high, corresponding to approximately 25.6 × 1.0 × 52.4 inches. The set consists of three matching examples.