Accession No

1842.1

Brief Description

Stanhope lenses, 1800-1900

Origin

Maker

Class

optical

Earliest Date

1800

Latest Date

1900

Inscription Date

Material

metal (steel); glass

Dimensions

length 69mm; breadth 32mm; height 33mm

Special Collection

Heywood collection

Provenance

Purchased from the Professor Harold Heywood collection under estate duty exemption benefit with the assistance of a Science Museum grant-in-aid.

Inscription

Description Notes

1 turned (?) steel handle with ring end; band round centre of lens.
(Originally two lenses, one now missing).

Condition: fair; incomplete.

References

Events

Description
Stanhope lenses
The Stanhope lens is a thick piece of glass with two different convex curvatures on its surfaces. The more convex side is turned toward the eye, and the specimen is place directly onto the opposite side. A variant of the Stanhope lens was introduced in France and has a plane surface on the opposite side.

Stanhope lenses were used for diatoms, insect wings, and other objects that could easily attach themselves to the flat side with a drop of water.

18/10/2002
Created by: Saffron Clackson on 18/10/2002

FM:42535