Hobbies And Interests
Design
The perspective glass had two main components: the magnifying lens and a mirror. The magnifying lens was not used to enlarge the image. Instead, the lens was the viewing center of the apparatus and provided the viewer with a sense of three dimensions. The mirror was placed behind the lens, at an angle. The print being viewed was laid flat beneath the mirror. The viewer looking through the lens looked at the image on the mirror and not at the image on the table.
Styles
The perspective glass came in two styles: on a stand and in a box. The stand model, like the one at Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello, held the lens in a wooden frame with the mirror extending out behind it. In some models the stand could be adjusted to focus the image for the viewer. The peep box was closed on three sides. Engravings were made specifically for the boxes. Some peep boxes also had candle holders for viewing images at night.
Engravings
The mirror of the perspective glass inverted, meaning it flipped the image upside down during viewing. Engravers took this into consideration when creating their prints. Writing on the engraving would have to be written backward so that the viewer could read the words when viewing the image. These prints were typically brightly colored to provide a vivid image.
Users
During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, owners of perspective glasses would travel around, charging people a fee to view the engravings. The images typically were of cities, but historical and biblical images were also common. Home perspective glasses were often owned by the very wealthy and were used to impress guests. The images typically were displayed like a slide show.