Lorgnette

A lorgnette is an optical device consisting of a pair of lenses mounted in a frame with a handle, rather than being worn on the face like spectacles. It was typically used in the 19th and early 20th centuries for intermittent viewing—most commonly in social settings such as theatres or salons—where the user would raise it briefly to the eyes when needed. The lorgnette style was occasionally adapted in the design of compact folding stereoscopes.