Rare Antique Tiny Stanhope Binoculars
A better price may be available. Please enquire below.
Circa late 1800 or early 1900, this fascinating piece is an optical bovine bone miniature or micro-photo collectible. Stanhopes are optical devices that enable viewing of microphotographs without using a microscope. Invented in France by Rene Dagron in 1857, they eliminated the need for an expensive microscope to view the microphotographs by attaching the image to the end of a modified Stanhope lens. Dagron called the devices bijoux ‘photo-microscopies’ or ‘microscopic photo jewellery’. This is a cute example in excellent condition. Six really tiny black and white photographs of what appears to be various coastal and river scenes to be seen by looking through and carefully turning one side of the binoculars. There is also some, just about decipherable (to my eyes!) minute text such as; The Promenade, The Bridge and The Beach. Quite possibly the location of these images can be identified by a new owner with better eyesight than mine! It must be said that the appeal and value of these sought-after novelty items lies in the high quality craftsmanship and 100 year-old plus optical technology they represent – rather than (inevitably) what can be readily discerned from the images themselves!
Dimensions (L, W and H): 2.5.x2x0.8cm
Ref: FGA1922
A better price may be available. Please enquire below.
Circa late 1800 or early 1900, this fascinating piece is an optical bovine bone miniature or micro-photo collectible. Stanhopes are optical devices that enable viewing of microphotographs without using a microscope. Invented in France by Rene Dagron in 1857, they eliminated the need for an expensive microscope to view the microphotographs by attaching the image to the end of a modified Stanhope lens. Dagron called the devices bijoux ‘photo-microscopies’ or ‘microscopic photo jewellery’. This is a cute example in excellent condition. Six really tiny black and white photographs of what appears to be various coastal and river scenes to be seen by looking through and carefully turning one side of the binoculars. There is also some, just about decipherable (to my eyes!) minute text such as; The Promenade, The Bridge and The Beach. Quite possibly the location of these images can be identified by a new owner with better eyesight than mine! It must be said that the appeal and value of these sought-after novelty items lies in the high quality craftsmanship and 100 year-old plus optical technology they represent – rather than (inevitably) what can be readily discerned from the images themselves!
Dimensions (L, W and H): 2.5.x2x0.8cm
Ref: FGA1922
A better price may be available. Please enquire below.
Circa late 1800 or early 1900, this fascinating piece is an optical bovine bone miniature or micro-photo collectible. Stanhopes are optical devices that enable viewing of microphotographs without using a microscope. Invented in France by Rene Dagron in 1857, they eliminated the need for an expensive microscope to view the microphotographs by attaching the image to the end of a modified Stanhope lens. Dagron called the devices bijoux ‘photo-microscopies’ or ‘microscopic photo jewellery’. This is a cute example in excellent condition. Six really tiny black and white photographs of what appears to be various coastal and river scenes to be seen by looking through and carefully turning one side of the binoculars. There is also some, just about decipherable (to my eyes!) minute text such as; The Promenade, The Bridge and The Beach. Quite possibly the location of these images can be identified by a new owner with better eyesight than mine! It must be said that the appeal and value of these sought-after novelty items lies in the high quality craftsmanship and 100 year-old plus optical technology they represent – rather than (inevitably) what can be readily discerned from the images themselves!
Dimensions (L, W and H): 2.5.x2x0.8cm
Ref: FGA1922