The Forgotten History of Lorgnettes: A 19th-Century Magnifying Glass

Lorgnette is a type of handheld magnifying glass that was popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was used to magnify text or other objects, and was often carried in a pocket or purse for convenience.

The word "lorgnette" comes from the French language, where it was originally used to describe a small binocular telescope. Over time, the term came to be applied to any type of handheld magnifying glass, regardless of its size or shape.

Lorgnettes were commonly used by people who needed to read small print or examine objects closely, such as scholars, collectors, and scientists. They were also popular among women, who might use them to examine their faces in a mirror or to study the details of their needlework.

Today, lorgnettes are no longer as widely used as they once were, but they can still be found in some specialized contexts, such as in museums or libraries where they are used to examine rare documents or artifacts.