History Mystery #10: A device with a lens?

September 13, 2024 Ian Lamont

Here’s the latest EasyGenie History Mystery! This unusual folding object is made of wood, glass, and brass. It dates from the second half of the 1800s. This specimen was found in a local historical museum in New England, but some were produced in Europe as well.

Size: The length is approximately 14 inches. Folded, the object is just over 3 inches high, but when fully extended, the height is about a foot and a half.

Hint: This device was intended for indoor use. The U.S. patent was issued in the 1860s.

SOLUTION: Here's the answer to History Mystery #10!

Also, if you are interested in earlier history mysteries, check out the following on the EasyGenie blog:

History mystery #8: A perforated cube made of wood and tin (blog) (solution)
History mystery #7: Strange object in an 1800s farmhouse (blog) (solution)
History Mystery #6: Mysterious Viking artifact stumps the experts (blog) (solution)