popped into beamish the other day while I was in the area--I expected to see a few good items but wasnt quite prepared for what hung on the end wall of the haberdashery shop---completely spoilt my day if not week---I should have been excited to see such an incredible piece of advertising----just when I thought there was nothing else out there that I craved and this turns up !----put it definately in my top ten of british advertising---better that most of the superb mirrors that I handled or went through the london dealers in the early days--brilliant cutting on a mirror is always better that just gold leaf .but the depth of cutting on that mirror is stupendous!---for those that havent seen it ....its the monumental colmans starch mirror with the bulls head----mirror must be at least 7 feet tall and around 40 inches wide----has to be on half inch plate so must be a four man lift !----thankfully I didnt have my camera so I cant drool over the image----would love to know where it originated and still cant quite understand was such an incredible thing would be made for an individual product in their range----was it one from a group including mustard ?-----oh,and the sandersons heatherdew mirror in the pub was also a bit special ! although I have had one of those but in a different size before.----why did colmans have to commission that mirror ?!!!----goodnight all.

Hello Hasbeen

Never a truer word spoken - the Colman's mirror is truly astonishing but unfortunately like yourself - I went there without my camera.

A you say the mirrors in the pub are terrific as well, particularly the Whisky one with the picture of the butler serving the Devil a glass of whisky on a tray which bears the legend "Give the Devil his Dew" 

If anyone has pics I would love see them, otherwise it looks like another long trek up from down here in Kent.

I agree with you that the Colmans  must be one of the all time great mirrors, although I saw some amazing ones go through Relic Auctions, some of which I have photos of .

I also saw many terrific, large mirrors which Chris Gordon turned up, three of which fortunately I still have.

One of his I would love to see again was an Abdullah Cigarettes mirror which looked like a giant pediment with a clock in the middle with the back painted soldiers - one on either side and another one I vividly remember was a 6ft x 4ft Ogden's Guinea Gold - what a stonker!

Regards Richard

Here is a photo of a photo i took in 2001 at Beamish, according to John gall who ran the museum then 2 guys turned up with the mirror on the roofrack of a ford escort van!!  Stunning mirror. Rich

Thanks Rich - Best Regards Richard

"FANTASTIC MIRROR",..Now thats what i call art work..Unlike lots of multi million pound paintings that look to me as if the kid off the Morses Distemper sign has knocked them up..Thanks for showing..

 Saw one of my faves on the Severn Valley Railway today.

One for you Steve!

Al.