Demainbray's polemoscope

Polemoscope and case, unknwon maker, before 1753 Polemoscope and case, unknwon maker, before 1753 Polemoscope and case, unknwon maker, before 1753 Demainbray's polemoscope Demainbray's polemoscope

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Polemoscope and case, unknwon maker, before 1753
Science Museum Group Collections
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Polemoscope and case, unknwon maker, before 1753
Science Museum Group Collections
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Polemoscope and case, unknwon maker, before 1753
Science Museum Group Collections
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

King's College, London| Enquiries to Science Museum, London
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

King's College, London| Enquiries to Science Museum, London
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Polemoscope and case, unknwon maker, before 1753, but once owned by Stephen Demainbray.

The polemoscope, also known at the time as a ‘jealousy glass’, was a device that was disguised as an opera glass. Two lenses (one convex and one concave) and an angled mirror allowed users to discreetly observe their neighbours at the theatre. It once belonged to Stephen Demainbray who used it in his lectures on natural philosophy. Demainbray worked as superintendent at the King's observatory at Kew from 1768 and his collection of instruments and apparatus was absorbed into the King's own collection.

Details

Category:
King George III
Object Number:
1927-1158
Materials:
oak, glass, speculum, vellum, pasteboard, brass (copper, zinc alloy) and paper (fibre product)
Measurements:
overall (assembled): 120 mm x 40 mm diameter, 0.05 kg
type:
polemoscope and case
credit:
King's College, London