Items
Tag
Magnifier
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Objective Magnifier
The small magnifier is made from brass and glass. The magnifier consists of two magnifying lenses in a circular casing. The instrument could also be a microscope lens; however, the instrument consists of an ocular and objective lens and can work as a magnifier by itself. -
Magnifying Glass
The circular magnifying glass consists of two magnifying lenses. The instrument is made from brass and painted brass. The small magnifying glass can be used as a desktop magnifier and would have been used to inspect photographs or small text. The exterior of the magnifier is painted brown to imitate the appearance of wood. -
Microscope Lamp
The lamp is made from brass, metal and cast iron. The instrument stands on a splayed tripod base which is weighted, with the stand of the instrument connected to one of the legs. The rectangular base of the lamp seems to be made from blackened metal and acts as a well for oil. There is a small cap on the base which screws open to pour in the oil or paraffin. The instrument can be adjusted vertically by unscrewing the thumbscrew on the post and adjusting the height. The lamp also has a magnifier attachment via an arm and gimbal. The thumbscrew on the side of the magnifier allows the magnifier to be tilted and adjusted. -
Lens Magnifier
The instrument has three horn-framed lenses, each with a different strength. The lenses are hinged on a joint that allows them to be swiveled out for observation. They can also be used together when the instrument is closed as there is a small lens cut out. -
Desktop Magnifier
The circular desktop magnifier can be adjusted via a thumbscrew thread which works as the coarse focusing. The magnifier is made from brass and contains two lenses. The instrument has three legs that seem to date it in the 1840s due to the popularity of the design. The instrument would be used to assist those with failing eyesight to read or observe photographs. -
Magnifying Glass
The magnifying glass is made from black stained mahogany with a long decorative turned handle. -
Magnifying Glass
The Victorian "hammer" magnifying glass/loupe is made from brass and has a dark wood handle. The brass has two etched lines around the circumference of the lenses. The instrument would have been used by jewelers for inspecting their products or as a magnifying glass for reading. -
Pocket Magnifier
The pocket focusing magnifier is made from lacquered brass and has an unusual Archimedean screw thread. To focus the instrument, the body-tube is twisted up along the thread in a screwing motion to adjust the distance between the ocular lens and the objective lens. These instruments were commonly composed of two plano-convex lenses of identical focal length, mounted with their plane sides outward at a distance apart equal to two-thirds of the focal length. This instrument would have been used for photography and were designed to image what they are aimed at, or place against and therefore do not let light to enter. -
Binocular Magnifier
The handheld binocular magnifier is made from mahogany. The magnifier includes two ocular lenses set into a rectangle piece of wood. The magnifier also has a wooden handle. -
Pocket Magnifier
The pocket focusing magnifier is made of lacquered brass and has an unusual Archimedean screw thread. Focusing is operated by twisting the body-tube along the thread in a circular motion to adjust the distance between the ocular and objective lens. These instruments were commonly composed of two plano-convex lenses of identical focal length, mounted with their plane sides outward at a distance apart equal to two-thirds of the focal length. This instrument would have been used in photography. It could be used to focus on an image by aiming the lens or placing it against an image, therefore not allowing light to enter. -
Stanhope Pocket Microscope
The pocket microscope is set in a bone frame. Invented by the third Earl of Stanhope, the Stanhope lens is moderately powerful and was used to inspect specimens or read small prints. This type of lens was used in "Stanhopes," small objects with micro-photographs inside to be viewed through the lens. These instruments were used mainly as novelty items. -
Coddington Microscope
The microscope is gold plated on brass. A Coddington magnifier is a magnifying glass consisting of a single very thick lens with a central deep groove diaphragm at the equator, thus limiting the rays to those close to the axis, which again minimizes spherical aberration. This allows for higher magnification than conventional magnifying glass, typically 10× up to 20×. Most single lens magnifiers are limited to 5× or so before significant distortion occurs. The drawback is that the diaphragm groove reduces the area seen through the magnifier. -
Stanhope Microscope
The microscope is set in turned ox bone handle with small lens. Invented by the third Earl of Stanhope, Stanhope lens are moderately powerful and were used to inspect specimen as well as reading small print. This type of lens was used in "Stanhopes," small everyday objects with micro-photographs inside to be viewed through the lens. -
Waistcoat Pocket Stanhope Microscope
The handle of the waistcoat microscope is made from either bone or ivory. Invented by the third Earl of Stanhope, Stanhope lenses were moderately powerful and used to inspect specimens as well as read small prints. This type of lens was used in "Stanhopes," small novelty objects that contained microphotographs inside to be viewed using the lens.