A lorgnette is a pair of glasses that are mounted onto a handle rather than sitting on the nose and fitting over the ears, and here we have a lovely antique tortoiseshell lorgnette that can still be used today.
This lorgnette dates from the 1860's and really takes you back in time when you hold it in your hand. With a tortoiseshell handle that the glass retracts into, on the side when it is closed is a small lever that once pressed allows the lens which itself is folded onto itself to spring out of the handle and open ready to use.
The tortoiseshell section measures 2.1cm wide at the middle by 7cm in length or 8.2cm to the bail at the end where it can be attached to a chain making this a very compact and neat peace, and when opened the glasses section measures 11cm across.
So wonderful and full of charm from a bygone era, this antique tortoiseshell lorgnette will certainly be a wonderful talking point.
Stock# ES6307
Circa: 1860
$Sold.
Out of stock
Brief history on lorgnettes:
A lorgnette is quite simply a pair of glasses that fold into itself into a handle that is held up to the eyes when open are rather than sitting on the nose and the ears, and comes from the French term "lorgner" meaning to take a sideways look.
Lorgnettes were popular in the 18th and 19th Century and even had a resurgence in the Art Deco era of the 1920s's, and as they were so easy and portable to use, were a common site in Georgian and Victorian times. Lorgnettes were made from a multitude of materials not just silver or gold, but ivory, horn and tortoiseshell to name a few.
Quite often the gold lorgnettes were hand engraved, set with precious gemstones such as diamonds, enamelled, or even a combination of all of these techniques.
A wonderful look back at time, lorgnettes still retain so much charm and poise.
