Types of Pocket Mirrors

Depending on who is collecting, there are many ways to categorize Pocket Mirrors. Listed below are several ways that collectors often categorize Pocket Mirrors, and an Image Gallery with an example for most categories.

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Material / Manufacturing Technique (in order from oldest to newest):

  • Embossed Brass, Nickel, Aluminum, or Silver-plate Shell holding mirror
  • Paper Covered
  • Glass Over Paper
  • Celluloid over Paper
  • Celluloid over Lithography or Photograph
    Also found:
  • Pocket Mirrors with Handles
  • Pocket Mirrors as Lids (compacts)

Other Methods of Categorizing Mirrors:

Illustration type:

  • Product image
  • Stock image (blank image sold from a catalogue and filled in for the specific user)
  • One-of-a-kind image (custom picture or painting for a user)
  • Image unrelated to the product
  • Text only, no image
  • Coin included in mirror

Products for Use Specifically By:

  • Men
  • Women
  • Children

Product Category:

  • Food or Drinks
  • Clothing
  • Medicine / Health
  • Publication
  • Recreation

Unique types with many examples:

  • Birthstones around the border
  • Circle-based designs (looks like a clock, measuring tape, etc.)
  • Animals
  • Reflection-related (makes a reference to the person looking in the mirror)
  • Mirror shaped like the product (basketball, egg, barrel, etc.)
  • Inverted Image Mirror (image looks different when the mirror is turned over, usually naughty images)
  • Theatrical (related to plays, movies, performances)
  • Transportation (trains, cars, etc.)
  • Political
  • Geographic (specific places, city, state, town, attraction)
  • Buildings (factories, homes, town hall, etc.)
  • Holidays
  • Good for (text on mirror indicates it can be turned in for cash, often 1-6 cents)
  • Recreation
  • Music

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