A Rare 18th Century Anamorphoscope

Constructed of mahogany and with original cast pewter mirror, (slight loss to upper corner of mirror) numbered and stamped B.M.I to upper column, missing maker's placque, with small brass carry handle, standing approx 100mm in height and 76mm in width at base and is housed in an original tin case. The previous owner has an additional mirror replacements manufactured by an instrument maker to slip over the original pewter mirror. This example is together with 5 hand painted images on paper backed onto a mahogany support, 9.5mm thick, each painting stamped BMI and numbered recto, subjects include a Peacock, a Ram and a Horse, and two images of Gentlemen

Anamorphic paintings that require cylindrical mirrors to view, were popular in both Europe and the Orient in the 17th and 18th centuries.
After the 1745 Jacobite rebellion in Scotland, images showing the likeness of the Young Pretender (Bonnie Prince Charlie) were outlawed. To overcome this restriction, his supporters kept paintings of him that could only be viewed properly by observing the reflection in a brightly polished metal cylinder like an Anamorphoscope. Such objects often carried messages of political protest or support but were also developed for novelty purposes.

Reference:

http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O96311/optical-toy-with-unknown/optical-toy-unknown/

https://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/657394

https://www.westhighlandmuseum.org.uk/collection.jsp?collection=jacobite&item=0#collection-items

https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-an-anamorphoscope-german-late-19th-century-5421494/?

Provenance: London Private Collection