WAFL Collectables

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WAFL MIRRORS

Old WAFL bar mirrors have fast become some of the most sought-after of all WA collectables during the past decade.

But many people are having trouble working out which of the five known styles of mirror they have.

If you just love the kitsch old mirror you have on the wall, then it's probably not much of an issue. But if you are looking to buy or sell, then below is my guide to the mirrors. If you have any further questions, you can always email me at [email protected].

Just remember, the value of any WAFL collectable is highly volatile due to the fact that it's a small market.

c1973-1979 Large Mirror

Though I can say with some certainty that this style of mirror was produced before 1980 (the East Perth mirror features in a photograph in the 4 July, 1980 edition of Westside Football), I am yet to pin down an exact production year for it. It certainly can't have been made earlier than 1973, because Subiaco only adopted the Lions nickname that season and "Lions" appears on the Subiaco mirror. One owner distinctly recalls buying his in 1976. Whatever the case, I am fairly confident it is the oldest of the five known styles of mirror. Manufactured by Western Glass, it has a wooden frame, which measures around 52cm x 67cm, and the glass has a decorative gold border. The wood varies in colour from dark brown through to a colour more like jarrah. This design can also be found with a white backing, rather than a mirror backing.




Claremont

East Fremantle

East Perth

Perth

South Fremantle

Subiaco

Swan Districts

West Perth




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1978 Large Mirror

To me, this is the most attractive of the five designs. It was made by NSW company Future Shock and had a wooden frame which measures about 50cm x 65cm. The easiest way to identify these mirrors is by the unique logo on the front - an octagon with a black swan inside it (seen at the top right of this Cardinals mirror). These were sold at 22 shops in Perth, including chain stores like David Jones, Zimples and Sims Hardware. It's the easiest style of WAFL mirror to find these days, but looks great on the wall.



Claremont

East Fremantle

East Perth

Perth

South Fremantle

Subiaco

Swan Districts

West Perth

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1978 Small Mirror

This is the most recently-discovered of the five types of mirror, but can be dated to around 1978 thanks to one owner who remembers receiving it for his 21st birthday. It is the smallest of all the mirrors, measuring about 21cm x 31cm, and was made by Western Glass. Featuring a light-coloured wooden frame (which looks like the fake plastic wood you find at Ikea) , the mirrors show each club's "W-style" logo. In the background of the mirror is a football scene which depicts a ruck contest from the 1977 State of Origin game, with Graham Moss soaring over his Victorian opponent. These can also be found with the same design, but a non-reflective background. These aren't as sought after as the other mirrors, and can often be bought much more cheaply.



Claremont

East Fremantle

East Perth

Perth

South Fremantle

Subiaco

Swan Districts

West Perth

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1981 Medium Mirror

Made by Champion Glass, these mirrors measured about 33cm x 48cm and had a teak-coloured wooden frame. The mirrors featured the W-Style club logo and the full name of the club. They were sold at Parry’s, Bunnings, Western Glass, Cooling Bros and Victor Glass for $26.95 each, but were on offer for as little as $12 at the Footy Shop in Leederville by 1984. These days, mirrors from this set can be a bit hit-and-miss, pricewise. Buyers should be patient, rather than shelling out big money for them, as they do come up quite cheaply.



Claremont

East Fremantle

East Perth

Perth

South Fremantle

Subiaco

Swan Districts

West Perth



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c1982 Medium Mirror

The fifth and final type of mirror was the only one to have a metal frame (gold-coloured). Again, I don't have the exact production details, but it was definitely manufactured after September 1981 (when the shield-style logos were created to replace the W-style logos). These measured about 40cm x 50cm and, in my opinion, were reasonably attractive. But they don't tend to sell too well these days. The last two sales I have seen (Perth and East Perth mirrors) were at $100 - one at auction and one via a private sale.



Claremont

East Fremantle

East Perth

Perth

South Fremantle

Subiaco

Swan Districts

West Perth



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