Posted 4 years ago
AnythingOb…
(1778 items)
Pictured here with a common US quarter coin for size reference, it's roughly 1-1/2" x 2-1/4" x 1/2" when all folded up, not a whole lot bigger than that when unfolded into what is probably (I dunno?) its normal usage position. (pic 2) Pics 3 & 4 show both sides of it stretched out, also hopefully the only marking stamped onto it anywhere which reads "MADE IN FRANCE" in #3, those also showing how there's a glass magnifying lens mounted into one end of it and a kinda intriguing 'square within a black finished circle' frame/holder for something that it must have been made to examine more closely than the naked eye would allow.
I really do not yet have the slightest idea what this little thing is supposed to be/do, other than that somebody somewhere sorta obviously put a nice amount of engineering/fabrication/etc into it..??? Help, please y'all..??? ;-) :-) :-)
It's possibly used for viewing negatives. A negative would be laid out on a light table and this placed over the top. Just a guess though as I can't think what else it could be used for.
It is referred to as a linen tester magnifying glass. It is used to check the thread count in fabric. My dad ran a textile mill and I have several of his in various sizes.
Thanks to Congeu, I now know what this magnifier is used for. I also have one and it was put in my coin box and forgot about. Great post ......
I have three of these that I was issued by the Army in Germany during the 1960's. Today I use them for coins and stamps.
fhrjr2, if I may ask, what were yours army-issued to do? Map reading, perhaps? I can't imagine it was to count linen threads for them, not to dispute Congcu's comment...??
It kinda *does* look like it'd be really good to help magnify linen threads, coins, stamps, photo negatives, maps, or maybe even something else...???
THANKS ALL for your interesting comments!! :-) :-) :-)
AnythingObscure Without going into details, you could say I was reading Aerial maps.
And if he tells you Tim he'll have to kill you! :^D
I posted one just a few months ago. For information on the Mill and the use of this item see:
http://www.angelfire.com/journal/millrestoration/artifacts.html#anchor693392
"Artifacts Found in Early American Mills, making it look more like a real mill. by Theodore R. Hazen"
THANKS SO VERY MUCH (along with some good <LOL> too!) to Rooster123, Congcu, hotairfan, fhrjr2, billretirecolletor, keramikos, & RichmondLori for your informative and entertaining comments!! Don't worry fjrjr2, I don't "need to know"... ;-) :-)
More THANKS to fortapache, Rooster123, yougottahavestuff, Watchsearcher, fhrjr2, Brunswick,billretirecollector, RichmondLori, vetraio50, blunderbuss2, & Racer4four for your <love it>s!! :-) :-) :-)
I have to say that Rooster123 was also correct. My father used one of these to view negatives on a light table. He worked in the printing industry and used one of these throughout his career.