Mystery magnifier... anybody have any ideas?

[darrenb]

Hey guys, I have a little trinket that I need help identifying. My nephew and I were detecting on a farm in Southeastern Canada, and we found this small thingamabob. We were unable to open it at the time, so it was soaked in olive oil for a couple of weeks. I just got the photos of it after being opened, and still don't know what it is. The bottom is about an inch square. When it was folded, the magnifying glass part was folded in first, and then the other side folded down on top of it. It is obviously not really old, but curiosity has gotten the best of me. The bottom of it is marked 'made in France' and it looks like it was originally chrome or nickle plated. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
Darren

 

[ojm bc]

n/t

 

[Ant]

My guess is a Pocket Slide Viewer.

http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJkP6Yc4xQ9VUA4DWJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dpocket%2Bslide%2Bviewer%26n%3D30%26ei%3Dutf-8%26y%3DSearch%26fr%3Dyfp-t-701%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D2&w=1000&h=744&imgurl=img1.etsystatic.com%2F000%2F0%2F5913462%2Fil_fullxfull.279169641.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2Flisting%2F84132306%2Fvintage-ansco-pocket-slide-viewer&size=129.1+KB&name=Vintage+Ansco+%3Cb%3EPocket+Slide+Viewer+%3C%2Fb%3Eby+UncommonShop+on+Etsy&p=pocket+slide+viewer&oid=5c4c726bbefa8c94b7cf351552327afc&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-701&tt=Vintage%2BAnsco%2B%253Cb%253EPocket%2BSlide%2BViewer%2B%253C%252Fb%253Eby%2BUncommonShop%2Bon%2BEtsy&b=0&ni=72&no=2&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=12618k04p&sigb=13nhtnmat&sigi=11sokfo6n&.crumb=v/8ZRgCGWta

 

[ojm bc]

n/t

 

[all iron]

I use them ever day at work in the printing business / just a magnifier or other wise known as a loop

 

[darrenb]

A loupe was my first thought too, but even the old loupes that I have seen didn't have the open framework hinged on the opposite side of the lens. Also, it is a very low magnification lens.

 

[Jim West Pa]

[attachment 247840 loupe.jpg]

 

[darrenb]

Jim, that is it! Thank you for the info. My nephew will be very pleased.
HH
Darren

 

[taz42o]

Called a textile magnifier . Commonly used for textiles, coins, stamps, film.