Is My Pocket Mirror Authentic?

As with any type of collectibles, there are fakes, reproductions, and fantasy Pocket Mirrors out there and if you’re collecting you need to know how to spot them. However, your first line of defense is to use a reputable dealer who guarantees that their items are all genuine and authentic. If a dealer will not guarantee the authenticity of their items, then I don’t use them because if they aren’t sure enough to give me a guarantee, it means they don’t really know what they’re selling (but they’re asking you to pay the full price as if it were authentic usually).

Red Flags to be aware of when you’re shopping for Pocket Mirrors:

  • Extremely rare or valuable brands or mirrors (Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and other famous brands) – Pocket Mirrors that are rare and valuable are the number one target for fakes because they will give the best return to the faker. This makes these high end Pocket Mirrors suspicious and you should check all the facts before paying for these high end item.
  • Check the back and edge where the celluloid wraps around the mirror. If there is folding or wrinkling of the celluloid it is a good sign of a fake. When Pocket Mirrors were originally produced they were made to high standards of craftsmanship and you will see clean, even edges.
  • Use a magnifying glass to see if the images are printed with a dot pattern (this indicates it is a more recent print) from the BenDay process that was used. Authentic antique Pocket Mirrors produced with chromolithography will have no dots and sharp, clear colors.
  • Check what you’re looking at against known authentic Pocket Mirrors and see if it matches.

Good luck and happy hunting! Remember, even seasoned collectors are fooled from time to time so if you aren’t sure don’t buy it, or Contact Me to help you assess the condition and authenticity.

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