Le Benescope

France, 1910s

Similar to Le Directoscope, this model A of Le Benescope was patented by Balmitgère and introduced in 1910. Manufactured by Mattey, it’s a heavy, trapezoidal "self-rectifying" (auto-redresseur) viewer with adjustable lenses on the outside and an arrangement of mirrors and varying lens distances on the inside that are doing the most to deliver magic. It accommodates 2 different slide sizes.

To learn more about the manufacturer, read this informative Mattey article.

Primary Material: Wood
Media Format: 45 x 107 mm and 6 x 13 cm glass
Light Source: Natural light
Focus: Adjustable
Interocular: Adjustable