A beautiful artifact from the late Georgian era, this magnifying glass is more than a miniature work of art. The rectangular-shaped hand-held piece magnifies at approximately eight times the power. of the unaided eye.
All the surfaces are textured with delightful scrollwork and floral motifs. At the center is the lyre-shaped musical instrument and above this is a rotating handle. You can use this feature to suspend the glass from a chain or a ribbon. These were often created in Pinchbeck or as this one, in gold over metal.
Such an intriguing utilitarian piece of jewelry history can also be artfully displayed on a library desk or dressing table.