Optical toy - 2x Lithophanes - 1850-1900 - Optical toy

2 Lithophanes from the mid-nineteenth century, size each 13 x 11 cm mounted in frame for hanging. Lithophanes became especially popular in the mid-nineteenth century made by companies such as Wedgwood in England, Meissen in Dresden and P.P.M. in Prussia. A Lithophanie is a thin ceramic plate with a relief, varying in thickness from 1.5 to 4 mm. The porcelain is fired twice in a temperature of 1250 degrees C. In regular lighting there is hardly any image to see, but a three-dimensional image is created when a light is placed behind. They were often placed in metal holders with a candle behind them and used as a bedside lamp or hung in front of a window. Subjects are: a father playing with his child and a mother dressing her son, both are marked with numbers.