0
6,569  PAGES BROWSED TODAY PAGES TODAY • 0  ANTIQUES UPLOADED TODAY NEW ARRIVALS
Sorted by
Per page
DEALER LOGIN
Selling Antiques Logo
0
Saved
Home
Return
Dealer Login
500+ Shops
Dealers
Newly Added
0
Saved
Sort Order
Latest
Price Low
Price High
sellingantiques.co.uk
ID #SA1218914
FOR SALE
£95
Email
Save
French Antique Lorgnette in Faux Tortoiseshell
Heavenly Antiques
for sale €111     $121
£95

Heavenly Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since May 2026
View Dealers Stock Page
  • About Us
    Specialists in antique furntire and decorative antiques from 17th to the 19th century
Relevant Links
Id #SA1218914
PDF SHARE
SAVE

French Antique Lorgnette in Faux Tortoiseshell

19th century
Description

This antique item appears to be a 19th-century lorgnette, a type of folding eyeglasses with a handle meant to be held rather than worn on the ears.

It likely features a faux tortoiseshell or horn case that houses the hinged brass spectacles when folded.

These were fashionable accessories for women in the Victorian era, often serving as jewelry or an affectation rather than strictly for vision correction.

Declaration

Heavenly Antiques has dated this Faux Tortoiseshell Lorgnette to the Victorian era.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1218914
Dealers Notes

Open 6 days a week Tuesday to Saturday 10AM - 5PM and 11AM to 4PM on Sundays

The Cow Shed Collective

Crowmarsh Hill

Crowmarsh Gifford

Wallingford

OX10 8BG

Follow us on Instagram @thecowshedcollective

Follow us on Facebook The Cow Shed Collective

Stocking a wide array of antique furniture and decorative antiques from the 17th century to early 20th century

You can Whatsapp video us to view any piece on either +447882521185 or +7710106462

We accept payment via bank transfer, card or cash

We ship worldwide, for international enquires please whatsapp us in the first instance

Description
This antique item appears to be a 19th-century lorgnette, a type of folding eyeglasses with a handle meant to be held rather than worn on the ears.
“
It likely features a faux tortoiseshell or horn case that houses the hinged brass spectacles when folded.
Heavenly Antiques

These were fashionable accessories for women in the Victorian era, often serving as jewelry or an affectation rather than strictly for vision correction.

Date of Manufacture

Heavenly Antiques has dated this Faux Tortoiseshell Lorgnette to the Victorian era.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1218914
Heavenly Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since May 2026

Specialists in antique furntire and decorative antiques from 17th to the 19th century

Dealer Profile

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

Relevant Links
PDF SHARE
SAVE
A French antique folding lorgnette with a faux tortoiseshell protective case and brass-framed rectangular lenses extended.
1 / 7
Archive I A French antique folding lorgnette with a faux tortoiseshell protective case and brass-framed rectangular lenses extended.

French Antique Lorgnette in Faux TortoiseShell

Archive II A French antique folding lorgnette with a faux tortoiseshell protective case and brass-framed rectangular lenses extended. View II
Archive III A French antique folding lorgnette with a faux tortoiseshell protective case and brass-framed rectangular lenses extended. View III
Archive IV A French antique folding lorgnette with a faux tortoiseshell protective case and brass-framed rectangular lenses extended. View IV
Archive V A French antique folding lorgnette with a faux tortoiseshell protective case and brass-framed rectangular lenses extended. View V
Archive VI A French antique folding lorgnette with a faux tortoiseshell protective case and brass-framed rectangular lenses extended. View VI
Archive VII A French antique folding lorgnette with a faux tortoiseshell protective case and brass-framed rectangular lenses extended. View VII
Enlarged Archival View

Heavenly Antiques
Telephone 01491 905679
Location
The Cow Shed Collective
Crowmarsh Hill
Wallingford
Oxfordshire
OX10 8BG
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/heavenlyantiques
Verified Since May 2026
Items For Sale 104
Items Sold 13
Heavenly Antiques
Verified Since May 2026
View Dealer Info
Location: The Cow Shed Collective , Crowmarsh Hill, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BG, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/heavenlyantiques
Verified
May 2026
For Sale
104
Sold
13
A French antique folding lorgnette with a faux tortoiseshell protective case and brass-framed rectangular lenses extended.
French Antique Lorgnette in Faux TortoiseShell
Ref: SA1218914
A French antique folding lorgnette with a faux tortoiseshell protective case and brass-framed rectangular lenses extended.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Detail View 5
Detail View 6
Archival Detail

Strictly Vetted Dealers

Every single antique dealer on our platform is individually approved by our internal team. We verify their professional trade history, ethical standards, and photographic quality to ensure a secure, high-standard buying environment. Upon joining, every dealer agrees to a strict 9-point code of conduct. While issues can occasionally arise, our dealers typically resolve them swiftly and directly with the buyer. In fact, since our founding in 2002, Sellingantiques has only had to step in to help resolve an issue on roughly five occasions—a true testament to the quality of our dealers and their dedication to your happiness.

Secure Transit

Our dealers are highly experienced in packing and shipping fragile, high-value antiques. Because you are in direct contact with the dealer, you will be able to easily go through all available shipping and insurance options together to ensure your item arrives safely.

The Sustainable Choice

Antiques are the ultimate green purchase. By choosing historical pieces over newly manufactured goods, you completely eliminate the carbon footprint of modern mass production while preserving exceptional, timeless craftsmanship.

FAQs

A lorgnette is a pair of spectacles mounted on a handle or encased in a folding housing, developed in the late eighteenth century by George Adams. Popular throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, particularly among women, they served as both a practical visual aid and a stylish accessory for the opera, theatre, and reading.

Lorgnettes were crafted using a variety of materials depending on their market value. High-end examples incorporated solid gold, silver, tortoiseshell, mother-of-pearl, or enamel, while everyday functional pieces utilised brass, nickel, horn, celluloid, or early faux tortoiseshell polymers.

Authentic period lorgnettes display characteristic hand-assembled mechanical hinges, precise spring release buttons, and appropriate wear around pivot points. Metallic components may feature hallmarks or maker stamps, while natural materials like tortoiseshell show unique variations under magnification compared to synthetic imitations.

An antique lorgnette functions well as a decorative curiosity when displayed in an open glass dome, resting on a stack of vintage leather-bound books, or arranged within a velvet-lined shadow box. Placing it on a desk or bookshelf adds historical context to a study or library setting.

Clean early synthetic materials and metal frames with a dry, soft microfiber cloth to prevent abrasion. Avoid chemical solvents, alcohol, or prolonged exposure to direct heat and moisture, which can degrade early plastics and oxidize metal fittings.
items
Add keywords to the filter
Price
£100
£250000
Era
Movements
Material
Origin
Stock Location
Freshness
Online Payments
Categories