Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Speculum

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

SPEC'ULUM (ἔνοπτρον, κάτοπτρον). A mirror; originally made of white metal, formed by the admixture of copper and tin (Plin. H. N. xxxiii. 45.), but afterwards of silver (Plin. l. c. Plaut. Most. i. 3. 111.), which is less brittle; the surface being kept bright by the use of pounded pumice-stone and a sponge, usually fastened to the frame by a short string. Glass was also employed at a later period for the mirror. The annexed wood-cut represents two originals (Speculum/1.1) of silver, both found at Pompeii, one of a circular shape, the most usual one, with a short handle for holding it up, when used, in the manner exhibited by the female figure (Speculum/1.2), from a painting in the same city; the other, of an oblong square form, intended to be held by one slave before her mistress, whilst others adjusted the toilette, as is often represented on Greek vases and other works of art; but the ancient dressing-mirror was never made in a frame to stand upon the table, as a piece of furniture, like the modern ones.

2. A looking-glass (Plin. H. N. xxxvi. 66.), covered at the back with tin and lead (Beckman, History of Inventions, vol. ii. pp. 69 — 76.), and employed as a piece of ornamental furniture, like our pier-glass, consisting of a mirror as tall as the human body (Senec. Q. N. i. 17.), sometimes permanently fixed to the wall (Ulp. Dig. 34. 2. 19. § 8.), at others arranged in such a manner that it could be drawn up and down to different levels, like a sash. Vitruv. ix. 8. 2.

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  Speculum/1.1
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  Speculum/1.2