Antique Mother-of-Pearl Opera Glasses with Lorgnette Handle – Henry Hirsch (Liège) - 1810-1910 - Belgium - Henry Hirsch

Exquisite Belle Époque Mother-of-Pearl & Metal Opera Glasses with Extendable Lorgnette Handle
An elegant early 20th-century antique opera glasses (lorgnette), crafted with genuine Mother-of-Pearl (Nacre) casings and a matching extendable side handle.
This piece was made by the renowned optic engineer Henry Hirsch – Ingénieur Opticien, located at 58 Rue de la Cathédrale, Liège (Belgium), as clearly engraved around the eyecups. Based on historic business directory records for this address in Liège, this item can be precisely dated to circa 1901–1904.
Details & Specifications:
Maker / Engraving: Henry Hirsch - Ingénieur Opticien (Liège, Belgium)
Address Engraving: 58 Rue de la Cathédrale, Liège
Period: Circa 1901–1904 (Belle Époque)
Materials: Genuine Mother-of-Pearl (Nacre), Silvered/Nickel Metal Body
Design: Features a classic folding / extendable lorgnette side handle clad in mother-of-pearl tiles.
Condition & Wear:
General Condition: Good antique condition overall. The mother-of-pearl panels show a beautiful iridescent luster without major cracks or breaks.
Metal Rim / Crown Wear: As clearly visible in the detailed photographs, there are noticeable signs of wear and age-related rubbing/loss of plating along the metal rims (crowns) surrounding the lenses, revealing the underlying base metal and original patina.
Mechanics: The central focusing mechanism and folding handle mechanism operate smoothly.
Optical Condition & Notes:
Functionality: Fully functional optics with clear sightlines and smooth manual focus adjustment.
Peculiarity: Please note that one lens appears to be set/tuned for long-distance sight while the other is focused for closer range (the exact technical reason for this optical setup is unknown to me, but both lenses function properly).
Please examine all high-resolution photos carefully as they form an essential part of the description and show the exact cosmetic condition.