Rod Bantjes, “MNC-M0533_Mirroscope.html,” created 21 May, 2026; last modified, 21 May, 2026 (https://people.stfx.ca/rbantjes/).
Mirroscope
Museo del Cinema Collection, Torino, Italy[*] #MNC-M0533
French, ca. 1870
Dimensions: Open: H=53 cm, W=34.5 cm, D=46 Folded: H=52.8 cm, W=34.5 cm, D=14.5
Lens: W=21.3 cm, ƒ=46 cm
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Figure MNC-M0533.1 – Mirroscope |
| Photo © Ana Mendes. |
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Figure MNC-M0533.2 – Mirroscope with Image |
| Photo © Ana Mendes. |
This is a concave mirror viewer intended to enhance the 3D effect of photographs. It is an example of an "optical machine " and is included in the Optical Machine Taxonomy.
To use it one places a picture in the image-holder facing the mirror. Then one looks over the back of the picture to its reflection in the mirror.
Endnotes:
[*] We would like to thank Raffaella Isoardi and Valentina Malvicino for making our research possible and assisting us in every way, as well as Antoine ... for assistance in the archives.