Japanese
Magnifying Glass, 19th century
Ivory with metal and glass, 31 x 14 cm (12 3/16 x 5 1/2 in.)
Japanese magnifying glass with a carved ivory handle. The slender-shaped handle is decorated with carvings of a man dressed in a kimono who is harvesting fruits. The bottom of the handle is fully decorated with a leafy design and the same fruits as in the man’s hands. The top is a round magnifying glass framed in metal. The stem in between the circle of glass and the ivory handle is made from the same metal and decorated with a simple relief.
Macknight Room
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.