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ID #SA1033838
FOR SALE
£350
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Large English Antique Brass Desk Magnifying Glass / Paperweight C.1910
For sale by Puckerings
for sale €410     $445
£350
Puckerings

Puckerings

Sellingantiques Verified Since Jul 2009
Browse dealers 396 items
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Id #SA1033838
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Large English Antique Brass Desk Magnifying Glass / Paperweight C.1910

1900 - 1920
For Sale by Puckerings
Description

Always very popular and a very useful desk-top accessory. These large circular magnifiers actually are the condenser or magnifier from a Magic Lantern dating to around 1910; they are rescued, polished up and put back to use in the modern day.

This one is made from polished brass and is excellent quality having a lovely domed lens rather than flat on top, un-marked but probably by Optimus.

Wonderful condition, with a good magnification and a hefty piece to keep those papers in place. 4 1/4" in diameter x 2 3/4" high to top of dome.

Item: 44339

FREE Worldwide Registered Airmail Directly From the UK

Date of Manufacture

Puckerings has dated this Antique Brass Desk Magnifier to the 1910s.

Independent Date Guide ID 08236866
Dealer's Item Date1910s
Sellingantiques Date1910s
Sellingantiques agingItem 105-140 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE 1910s:
Turned brass mount with fine milled knurling: standard instrument making around 1910.
Mounting hole in the side cylinder: made for a projection lantern assembly.
Thick crown glass lens with green tint: early optical glass casting.

This Independent Date Guide was compiled by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. It works only from the photographs shown on this page and is never told the date the dealer has declared. It is a guide, not a guarantee of age, and occasional errors can occur.

Physical Dimensions
Height
7cm (2.76")
Width
10.8cm (4.25")
Depth
10.8cm (4.25")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1033838
Dealers Internal Reference
44339
Description
Always very popular and a very useful desk-top accessory.
“
These large circular magnifiers actually are the condenser or magnifier from a Magic Lantern dating to around 1910; they are rescued, polished up and put back to use in the modern day.
Puckerings
fig 1. A circular antique brass desk magnifying paperweight with a convex optical glass lens mounted in a polished cylindrical brass base with reeded rim details.
fig 1. Large English Antique Brass Desk Magnifying Glass / Paperweight C.1910

This one is made from polished brass and is excellent quality having a lovely domed lens rather than flat on top, un-marked but probably by Optimus.

Wonderful condition, with a good magnification and a hefty piece to keep those papers in place. 4 1/4" in diameter x 2 3/4" high to top of dome.

Item: 44339

FREE Worldwide Registered Airmail Directly From the UK

Date of Manufacture

Puckerings has dated this Antique Brass Desk Magnifier to the 1910s.

Independent Date Report ID 08236866
Dealer's Item Date1910s
Sellingantiques dating1910s
Sellingantiques agingItem 105-140 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the 1910s:
Turned brass mount with fine milled knurling: standard instrument making around 1910.
Mounting hole in the side cylinder: made for a projection lantern assembly.
Thick crown glass lens with green tint: early optical glass casting.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Height
7cm (2.76")
Width
10.8cm (4.25")
Depth
10.8cm (4.25")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1033838
Dealers Internal Ref
44339
Puckerings
Puckerings
Sellingantiques verified Since Jul 2009

A quality online collection of antiques and fine vintage collectables

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Puckerings Profile Page

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A circular antique brass desk magnifying paperweight with a convex optical glass lens mounted in a polished cylindrical brass base with reeded rim details.
1 / 5
Archive I A circular antique brass desk magnifying paperweight with a convex optical glass lens mounted in a polished cylindrical brass base with reeded rim details.

Large English Antique Brass Desk Magnifying Glass / Paperweight C.1910

Archive II A circular antique brass desk magnifying paperweight with a convex optical glass lens mounted in a polished cylindrical brass base with reeded rim details. View II
Archive III A circular antique brass desk magnifying paperweight with a convex optical glass lens mounted in a polished cylindrical brass base with reeded rim details. View III
Archive IV A circular antique brass desk magnifying paperweight with a convex optical glass lens mounted in a polished cylindrical brass base with reeded rim details. View IV
Archive V A circular antique brass desk magnifying paperweight with a convex optical glass lens mounted in a polished cylindrical brass base with reeded rim details. View V
Enlarged Archival View
Puckerings

Puckerings
Telephone 07853 189 922
Location
London
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/puckerings
Verified Since Jul 2009
Items For Sale 396
Items Sold 7,632
Puckerings
Puckerings
Verified Since Jul 2009
View Dealer Info
Location: London, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/puckerings
Verified
Jul 2009
For Sale
396
Sold
7,632
A circular antique brass desk magnifying paperweight with a convex optical glass lens mounted in a polished cylindrical brass base with reeded rim details.
Large English Antique Brass Desk Magnifying Glass / Paperweight c.1910
Ref: SA1033838
A circular antique brass desk magnifying paperweight with a convex optical glass lens mounted in a polished cylindrical brass base with reeded rim details.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectPaperweights
  • Period1900 - 1920
  • StyleEdwardian
  • MaterialBrass, Glass
  • ColourGold
  • MotifsConvex glass lens, Cylindrical brass collar, Reeded rim detail, Turned metal border
  • SizeH 7 cm (3 in) x W 10.8 cm (4 in) x D 10.8 cm (4 in)

This Edwardian desk magnifying glass and paperweight dates from around 1910, originating as a Magic Lantern condenser. The piece consists of a domed, convex optical glass lens set within a polished cylindrical brass base, finished in gold with a reeded rim detail and a turned metal border. The brass exhibits light surface reflections and minor signs of age across the polished body, while the clear glass lens offers a strong magnification. It measures 7 cm high, 10.8 cm wide, and 10.8 cm deep. In a contemporary home, this desktop accessory sits comfortably upon a home office desk, study writing table, or library bookshelf to hold loose papers in place while doubling as a functional reading aid. The compact circular proportions allow it to occupy minimal workspace while maintaining a substantial weight suited for everyday use in a traditional gentleman's library setting.

FAQs

During the early 20th century, heavy optical glass and brass dome paperweights served a dual function: holding down loose correspondence on study desks while providing magnification for reading fine print or inspecting maps.

These items were typically constructed from a heavy ground-glass convex optical lens set into a turned solid brass frame or collar, often decorated with reeded or milled borders.

Authentic pieces feature substantial weight, precision hand-turned brass construction with minor manufacturing marks, thick optical glass free from modern moulding seams, and authentic surface patination.

This type of decorative object is typically placed atop a stack of hardback books, positioned on an executive office desk, or displayed on a library shelf alongside geographical globes and instruments.

Clean the glass lens with a soft microfibre cloth. If desired, polish the brass casing with a specialized metal restorer, avoiding immersion in water to prevent moisture entering the lens seal.
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