Description

Antique minifying glass

Antique minifying glass from around 1890.

It is said these were used to decrease the size of an object or image in order to have a better over all view. Of course, if one were nearsighted it might also improve the distance vision.

It is marked made in France. In the photo, it is next to a new US nickel for size comparison.

It appears to be chrome-plated over brass. Objects just like this with plus lenses were sold around 1900 as hand magnifiers. Maybe this was custom made to be a quizzing glass for its myopic owner.The power of the lens is -7.75 diopters. The lens is 3.5 cm in diameter. The length is 9.5 cm. Quizzing glasses stopped being popular by 1825.