Opera Glasses
date: label: date made
content: mid 19th century
notes: label: Description
content: The words “12 Verres” on the crosspiece probably indicate that this instrument was made in France. They also indicate that each eye lens and each objective lens is a triple achromat, a design that was developed by Joseph Petzval, a professor of mathematics at the University of Vienna, and introduced to practice by Voightländer & Sohn in the early 1840s. Because of this design, the optics are exceedingly good. The objectives lenses are 44 mm diameter. The frame is gilt metal. The barrels and eyecups are covered with mother of pearl, as is the center wheel that adjusts the focus. The case is dark leather lined with magenta silk.
label: Description
content: Ref: Charles Chevalier, <i>Catalogue Explicatif et Illustré des Instruments d’Optique et de Météorologie</i> (Paris, 1860), p. 17.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: France
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Physical Sciences
label: See more items in
content: Science & Mathematics
label: See more items in
content: Optics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Jane and Mary Henle
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: PH.336796
label: catalog number
content: 336796
label: accession number
content: 1978.2216
objectType: label: Object Name
content: opera glasses
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall: 10 1/2 in; 26.67 cm
label: Measurements
content: overall in case: 4 1/2 in x 6 1/4 in x 3 in; 11.43 cm x 15.875 cm x 7.62 cm