To See the World Through A Tiny Lens -- Stanhope Microphotograph Objects

     The Stanhope, or "optical bijou", was the name given to the items created with microphotographic images inside them.  Ranging from letter openers, to knives, to sewing tools such as tape measures, to jewelry, the Stanhope revolutionized the perception of photography and the souvenir industry beginning in 1860's France. About that time, Rene Dagron (1819-1900), a portrait maker in Paris created the first Stanhopes by affixing a micro-image to a lens.  From Stanhopes.info: "The Stanhope lens was invented by Charles, 3rd Earl Stanhope (1753-1816). It was a rod-shaped hand viewer with two surfaces of unequal curvature, but later the design was adapted to incorporate a curved magnifying surface at one end, and a plane surface at the other. Lord Stanhope died many years before his invention was used in the manufacture of novelty souvenirs."

     To use a Stanhope peep-hole viewer, one would put the tiny hole in the object up to one's eye while holding the object up to the light, and the image could be seen. Popular subjects included monuments, royalty (especially Queen Victoria!), world's fairs, cities, towns, shrines, and landscapes. Stanhopemicroworks.com has an extensive gallery of Stanhope objects.

How Robert Bunsen Saved the Victorian Era

'Ello, everyone! I am very glad to be back 'on the air' as they say.   Today, I would like to mention a an inventor who influenced the Victorian era, or the aftermath of it, in an unexpected way.

     Robert Wilhelm Eberhard Bunsen (30 March 1811 – 16 August 1899) was born in Gottingen, Germany, and went on to become a leader in the field of chemistry. In order to facilitate his laboratory work, he developed the gas Bunsen burner, which was simpler,  more economical, and could provide a higher-quality flame than the then-current laboratory burners. 

     Among his other notable contributions, one has a connection to one of the darkest phenomena of the Victorian era: arsenic poisoning.  Whether ingested or placed on the skin unintentionally or with intent, arsenic was a sure killer which was used indiscriminately by many people. (For example, Victoria-era ladies would place a mixture which included arsenic on their skin supposedly to treat wrinkles, arsenic was used in many 'patent medicines' peddled by quacks, it was used by legitimate medical practitioners before antibiotics were brought into use, and it was also found in certain pigments used in industry.  Bunsen himself became quite ill from arsenic poisoning. Arsenic was also one of the favorite poisons of treacherous fiends from the Middle Ages forward.)  

    Bunsen discovered that iron oxide hydrate was an antidote for arsenic poisoning; the information later made it possible for municipalities to filter arsenic from their drinking water.(Here is a link to an excerpt from a book chapter on the history of arsenic and its' use.)   He also pioneered the carbon cell battery and advanced the field of spectroscopy (spectral analysis of heated elements, using which he discovered caesium and rubidium).

     So, while he did not contribute to the steampunk genre directly, his efforts probably made the Victorian era more survivable, and thus last a wee bit longer!

Darkened Heart of The Sunken Library - Mad Science Investigated

"Lee's case, open"  from Darkened Heart

   Delve into the world of mad science of yore!

       For many months, a reliable source at The Darkened Heart has been sharing extensive documentation of a fascinating journey into the unusual and macabre through the eyes of an intern historical investigator and scientist.  In the words of the writer, "This site is a reflection of what I found when I followed the ... bread-crumbs far enough into the Smithsonian archives. What follows is a true account, or as true as I can make with no budget and little time."  The results are truly spellbinding!

      The industrious intern provides us with scans of found documents which accompany and detail the relics that dwell in the basement of the Smithsonian museum.   There can be found colorful jars with probable body parts preserved inside (but from what creature or parts, it cannot be said), deadly weapons, medical instruments, potions with unspeakable powers and purposes, and dilapidated carrying cases which held said relics until they were opened and revealed to the world once more.

      For example, the description of the above photograph reads so:

     Inside, the box is crammed near-to-bursting with medical equipment and sample jars. It’s going to take some time to inventory all of this junk. There’s no sign of  mold, but the box’s interior sealed in a strange musky stink. The smell is oddly familiar, it reminds me of the Chesapeake at low tide.

        The intern also speculates about the found items and how they were used, backing up sound hypotheses by scientific testing of the objects when the intern has the materials and is able to do so without unwanted supervision by the guards.  Letters shared with the reader tell of outbreaks, experiments, and the unique history surrounding it all.

      I certainly hope that the intrepid intern will continue to survive the assignment (yes, survive!) and continue to provide insight into the instruments and minds of the scientists and medical madmen who once conducted their experiments in secret.   I highly recommend this riveting narrative; it is perfect for when you may wish to pour a draught of absinthe and cozy up to the fire for a dose of mystery ....

~ DreamSteam

Steam, Brass and Fzz! Inventions Galore by Professor Fzz

Are you...
In the market for a desktop Jacob's Ladder?

 
How about an Internet Pressure Gauge, that measures packets per second?

  No?  How about a Steam Robot Mask?

All of these creations and much, much more have sprung from the mind of Professor Fzz, maker extraordinaire!

In his own words:

   "By day, I build weapons to defend the great steam pipes of the Aethernet from the ravaging hoards of savages, design new and better ways of connecting the great networks of pipes together, and avoid the dreaded blockages. In short, I’m an Aethernet architect. Sometimes I teach students too; yes I really am a Professor.
    By night, I like the physical world; making things in brass and copper and wood. And steam. Always steam power.
    I guess you might call me Steampunk."

Indeed, Professor, indeed!  

Electric go-karts, the Heat Ray of Death, Steam Rockets, and Hydrogen Reconnaissance Balloons.   All reside here.  There is even a collection of many steam powered wonders and fantastic places that he has visited and seen.  

All can be found in the Professor's aethernet journal. (All photos above come from the professor's site.) Jolly good show!

~DS

Antique Victorian Microscope Slides

Since this was a part of the time period, and is pretty amazing,
here is a peek at a (probably) lost art.

In the 1800's, "exhibition slides were often considered to be the pinnacle of the commercial mounters art, considering the degree of difficulty in their preparation. Combining various objects, often many 100s (or 1000s!) of individual butterfly or insect scales, diatoms, spicules, etc.; each piece was individually selected and assembled to create pictures or complex geometric arrangements."

These photographs come from http://www.victorianmicroscopeslides.com/
where you can find many more examples of this remarkable art form.