Invented in the 19th century, micro-miniature Stanhope lenses were originally used for innocent souvenir views, religious imagery, and portraits. But humans are human. And their potential for discreetly viewing forbidden images was quickly recognized. By the late Victorian era, pornographic Stanhopes offered a way to carry explicit photographs in plain sight, invisible to almost everyone else. The way to carry them close at hand (pun intended) was in a ring. The lens in this one contains an erotic photograph. People in the Victorian - WW1 eras were not nearly as prudish as they would have liked us to believe.
LE SMOKING Rhinestone Ring w/ Nude Stanhope: Size 11.5, not resizable. c. 1890-1910. Woman smoking a cig inside, wheat pattern on shoulders, shiny chrome, rhinestone on top.
3 BUTTS Rhinestone Ring w/ Female Shoulders and Nude Stanhope: Size 10, not resizable. c. 1980-1900 Chrome/pewter/white metal ring with stretched female form on each shoulder and rhinestone on top.
WOMAN ON BEACH CHAIR Rhinestone Ring w/ Nude Stanhope: Size 10.5, not resizable. c. 1880-1910. Woman laying on stomach on beach folding chair, wheat pattern on shoulders, shiny chrome, rhinestone on top.
BOOBS OUT Female Shoulders Rhinestone Ring w/ Nude Stanhope: Size 9.75, not resizable. c. 1900. Chrome/pewter/white metal ring with stretched female form decorating each shoulder and rhinestone on top.
SITTING HOLDING BOTTLE Rhinestone Ring w/ Nude Stanhope: wheat pattern on shoulders, shiny chrome, rhinestone on top. c. 1890-1910.
PINKY UP Ring w/ Nude Stanhope : Matte white metal with flat top. Size 10.5, not resizable.
LEANING ON A POST Ring w/ Nude Stanhope: Matte white metal with flat top. c. 1890 - 1910. Size 10, not resizable.
CURLY BOB Ring w/ Nude Stanhope: Matte white metal with flat top. c. 1920. Size 12, not resizable.