Hillebrand Illuminated Mirror, Ice Glass Acrylic Frame, 8 Lights, 99 cm, 1970s

A large backlit wall mirror by Hillebrand from the 1970s. The tall rectangular mirror is surrounded by a wide frame of thick cast acrylic with an ice glass look, its outer edge built from staggered, block-like segments that form a crenellated contour stepping rhythmically in and out. The clear acrylic is filled with countless tiny air bubbles and an irregular, rippled surface reminiscent of melting ice. Hillebrand of Neheim in the Sauerland region was one of the leading German lighting manufacturers of the post-war period and, with its illuminated mirrors combining mirror and light source in a single object, shaped a genre of its own.

Behind the mirror sits a lacquered metal housing with eight E14 sockets, enclosed all around by a perforated metal band. When switched on, the light passes through the perforations into the acrylic frame, which glows from within and casts a soft, even halo onto the wall, while the mirror surface itself remains glare-free. The mirror panel can be lifted off the wall housing to change the bulbs. Standing almost one metre tall, it works as a full-length or hallway mirror, in a bathroom or dressing room, or as a light object in the bedroom, suiting a Mid-Century or Space Age interior as well as a restrained contemporary setting.

The mirror measures 48 cm in width, 99 cm in height and 8 cm in depth, and weighs approximately 12 kg. It is in very good condition, the acrylic frame and mirror surface are free of cracks or chips, and the lighting is in working order. Given its weight, we recommend wall mounting with suitable anchors and, as with all vintage lighting, having it checked by a qualified electrician before use.