Ebonised Artists' Reducing Lens, c.1900 18th Century Circumference (at widest point): 18cm

Circumference (at widest point): 18cm

This is 'Greater Britain: A Record of Travel In English-Speaking Countries' by Sir Charle Dilke

which folds to the size of a single leaf for transport

with a parquetry border to each side of the box

mounted in a high quality bespoke brass glazed mount

Ebonised Artists' Reducing Lens, c.1900 18th Century Circumference (at widest point): 18cmAn ebonised artists' table top reducing lens, circa. late 19th early 20th century. Nineteenth century artists used reducing lenses, sometimes called 'diminishing glasses', to see a wider scene in miniature, helping them simplify tonal ranges, colour, and composition. These handheld and tabletop lenses, acting as the opposite of a magnifier, allowed painters to check perspective and fit complex landscapes or subjects onto their canvases, acting as an