All about Antique : Antique Magnifying Glass

One antique magnifying glass is more than just a functional tool that makes objects appear larger. From ornate Victorian designs embossed on elegant lines of the era Art Deco, each magnifying lens is also a treasure from the past to be cared for and maintained.Reading Rocks - Earliest magnifier
Reading stones, early predecessors of magnifying glasses were used by monks insightful since the eleventh century. Made from polished and shaped rock crystal, beryl or glass, reading stones placed flat on the text which is then reinforced by the shape of the stone. This same concept is used even today, when we use a whole page or a flat-sided, a magnifying lens line is placed horizontally on the page.

During the following centuries, such as Venetian glass blowers refined glass, resulting techniques have also developed frameworks for the magnifying glass lenses. From these first principles come microscopes, telescopes and spectacles.Antique Handle Set magnifiers
Most of the magnifiers that are prized by collectors today's date from 1700 through early 1950. All these years, handles and enclosures of magnifying lenses are made from many different materials. Examples of these magnifiers include:

    * Gold, pink enamel and rock crystal around 1900
    * Silver in 1910
    * Brass circa 1900
    * Ivory and silver since 1887
    * About Sterling Silver and Bone 1885
    * Tortoise Shell and Silver since 1912
    * Horn in 1700
    * Jade from circa 1900
    * Wood and brass by the end of 1800
    * Bakelite from the 1930
Antique Combination magnifier
Magnifying lenses that were part of a set one piece was very popular in early 1900. Many of the overall mix of the year was a little pencil in a small apartment.

    * An excellent example of combining a magnifying glass, pencil and map measurer, made in 1911 by the Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Co. of London, belonged to Lieutenant Colonel Sir Henry L. Galway, former Governor of South Australia. The engraving on the piece is dated 1913.
    * Another example of a combination of the same period consists of a paper knife, magnifying glass and pencil. This piece was made by J. Vickery's Lonon 1912.
    * Popular in the Victorian era, this beautiful silver bookmark, combined magnifying glass and pencil made in 1897 by James Bell and Louis Wilmott London.
    * Masters of the early 1900's is often a Pocket Necessarie, which is a small kit containing all the necessary information to appropriate gentleman may be required. A good example of Sampson Mordan and Company of London, 9ct gold gentleman was in 1937 and Enamel Pocket nécessaire includes a magnifying lens, watch, pocket knife, perpetual calendar, door key and pencil. When closed, the total count is a tiny three inches.
Antique Jewelry magnifiers
Small magnifying glasses often worn by women as a pendant, brooch or on a chatelaine. This type of jewelry was very common in 1800, as most women of that time, did not want to wear glasses in public. Examples of these beautiful magnifiers include:

    * A silver chatelaine exquiste magnifying glass from the Victorian era. A relief Cupid adorns the top of the handle.
    * A Pierre-Bex Art Deco necklace magnifying glass made of gilded bronze, decorated with rhinestones.
A beautiful old sterling and the chain has a paste due to Victorian magnifying glass. This wonderful piece is decorated with French jet cut.