What is this used for?Any ideas?

[diggummup]

I found this folding magnifying instrument at an old,off the side of the road,long abandoned flea market type of place.Other mentionables include a '43 merc.,'53 silver dimes,2 jefferson nickels-'43&'54 and a '25 wheatie.Pic.-1 shows the magfy'r. unfolded,Pic.-2 shows it folded-up.Any Ideas?

 

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[JARMAN]

Got one just like it,but it's new.hard to see some of them coin dates after 40years of age.I even carry it in my pouch when i hunt.Nice finds.HH

 

[bergie]

I am almost certain a slide goes in the open side (open allowing the light to come through the back and allow for easier viewing through the lens). Similar to the concept of those things we had as kids where it had a circular cardboard disk with frames and you'd look thorough the two lenses and advance the frame with an up and down "trigger" -- anyone remember what they were called. Nice finds with the other things you mentioned too.

 

[bergie]

Oops. Never follow Buckram. Kind of like following Sinatra on stage. Didn't know it had been IDed already.

 

[diggummup]

Oops. Never follow Buckram. Kind of like following Sinatra on stage. Didn't know it had been IDed already.

HA-HA-HA-HA-That's funny Bergie,you gotta love that Buckram!Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

 

[chuckered]

Buckram you are amazing , you have most of thr answers I'md amazed. One quetion who really shot JFK lol

 

[smhead]

I know them as "loupes", magnifiers we used in the graphic arts back in typesetting days and still use for checking press proofs and doing press checks when printing. It is set to be focused on the surface of whatever you place it on (like a sheet of paper) so inserting a slide in it would make the slide out of focus. They are used to look at slides and photo negatives on a light table also.

 

[lab rat]

Exactly right-- probably ran $20-30 new. Nice find!

 

[Kent in AL]

The answer to Bergie's question is "ViewMaster".

Kent

 

[Chris in BC]

Show's what you guys know, that is a commercial ant burner, very uncommon as ant burning didn't pay all that well back then, just glad I can help. Chris