Object Number 1961.0330

Object Name

Magnifying glass

Category

Clocks, Watches, and Scientific Instruments

Credit Line/Donor

Museum purchase

Place of Origin

England, United Kingdom, Europe

Date

1700-1775

Materials

Tortoise shell (marine turtle); Glass; Silver; Brass

Techniques

Molded

Dimensions (inches)

0.374 (H) , 2.559 (L) , 4.409 (W) , 2.5045 (Weight)

Dimensions (centimeters)

0.95 (H) , 6.5 (L) , 11.2 (W) , 71 (Weight)

Measurement Notes

The width given is of the magnifying glass open. The width of the magnifying glass closed is 7.900cm.

Object Description

Web - 03/23/2021

In decorative arts, the term "tortoise shell" is commonly used to describe scutes, or plates, of the shell from Hawksbill, Green, or Loggerhead marine turtles. Turtles once flourished in tropical waters in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, with the Tortugas, the Cayman Islands, and the Mosquito Coast all having large populations before they were fished to near extinction. Early objects made from tortoise shell were an ultra-luxury for elite consumers in Europe and Asia. As a raw trade material, “shell” could be 8 to 10 times more costly than elephant tusk ivory during the 1700s. By the early 1800s, tortoise shell was in wide use for merchant-class fashion accessories such as tea caddies, magnifying lens cases, fans, boxes and vanity sets as well as handles on many elegant tools, but especially for lady’s hair combs. Tortoise shell as an artistic material transitioned from rare and exotic to widely-desirable and internationally-produced, and then back to scarcity within two centuries.

This magnifying glass is made of a circular tortoise shell case with a silver rimmed glass that pivots in and out.