A pier glass or trumeau mirror is a

mirror A mirror or looking glass is an object that Reflection (physics), reflects an image. Light that bounces off a mirror will show an image of whatever is in front of it, when focused through the lens of the eye or a camera. Mirrors reverse the ...

which is placed on a

pier image:Brighton Pier, Brighton, East Sussex, England-2Oct2011 (1).jpg, Seaside pleasure pier in Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th century. A pier is a raised structure that rises above a body of ...

, i.e. a wall between two windows supporting an upper structure. It is therefore generally of a long and tall shape to fit the space. It may be as a hanging mirror or as mirrored glass affixed flush to the pier, in which case it is sometimes of the same shape and design as the windows themselves. This was a common decorating feature in the reception rooms of Neoclassical 18th-century houses. A

pier table A pier table is a table designed to be placed against a wall, either between two windows or between two columns. It is also known as a console table (french: console, "support bracket"), although furniture historians differentiate the two types, n ...

console table A console table is a table whose top surface is supported by corbels or brackets rather than by the usual four legs. It is thus similar to a supported shelf and is not designed to serve as a stand-alone surface. It is frequently used as pier tab ...

typically stood below the pier glass; very often these were made as a matching set.

Trumeau mirrors

A trumeau mirror is a type of wall mirror originally manufactured in France in the later 18th century. It takes its name from the French word ''

trumeau A trumeau is the central pillar or mullion supporting the tympanum of a large doorway, commonly found in medieval buildings.''Merriam-Webster Dictionary''"trumeau"/ref> An architectural feature, it is often sculpted. Gallery File:Trumeau.jpg, Tr ...

'', which designates the space between windows. Such a mirror, usually rectangular, could also hang above an

overmantel The fireplace mantel or mantelpiece, also known as a chimneypiece, originated in medieval times as a hood that projected over a fire grate to catch the smoke. The term has evolved to include the decorative framework around the fireplace, and ca ...

. A decorative carved or painted scene was the prominent characteristic, and could dominate the actual mirror.

Notes

Furniture Mirrors 18th century {{furniture-stub