At first glance, this looks like a simple gold fob. Hidden inside, however, is a Stanhope: a tiny optical viewer containing a microscopic photograph that can only be seen by peering through the lens. Popular from the late nineteenth into the early twentieth century, Stanhopes were marvels of Victorian engineering, and people loved them. The dealer who sold this to me said the image is of the Rajputana Regiment, one of the oldest infantry regiments of the British Indian Army. Founded in 1775 and still serving today in the Indian Army, the regiment earned a formidable reputation during the colonial period and in both World Wars. The image is blurry, though, and I can't claim absolutely that this is accurate: anyone with connections to this time and place in history who can confirm? Souvenir Stanhopes like this were often purchased by soldiers and their families as portable keepsakes of military service. This one is made in solid gold.
MATERIALS: 14k gold (tests), glass stanhope lens, new 14k gold chain
AGE: c. 1900
CONDITION: Very good - minor discoloration and surface wear commensurate with age and use
SIZE: 5/8" x 3/8" stanhope, 18" chain