charm with pic inside - does this have a name?

[glory]

Thanks for taking the time to read this.  As will be abundantly clear I am not in possession of any antiques expertise.  I lost an item of sentimental value when I was a child and hope that if I can get more information I might be able to track down another. 

The item was a charm of a little bakelite pig with tiny, clear cyclinder through the belly that when you held up to the eye revealed an image of Lands End.  Hopefully if it was mass produced for tourists another might be out there.

The question I am hoping you can help with is whether there is a technical term for items which hold little pictures like that etc?

Thank you

[wendy177]

Glory, I own  hundreds of pieces of bakelite & have been involved with bakelite for many many years so I hope I can help. I need a little more info. Not really sure what you mean by "lands end" how big was this  charm and  was this clear cylinder carved & reverse painted or just carved ? I have several bakelite books & will begin to look through them to see if I can find anything close to your little piggy. Most bakelite that contained images were called  reverse carved. Some artist have purchased old bakelite & reworked them into new pieces Ron & Ester Shultz are a couple well known in the bakelite world for doing this. pieces reworked by them can bring very high $$$.

[glory]

Hello Wendy.

Lands End as in the most Westerly place in England.  Rocks and a signpost.  It was either a very good line drawing or from a photograph, I forget which.  An old image.  I bought the pig with some pocket money more than twenty years ago at an antiques fair, so it would only have cost a pound or so - five at the very most.  It appeared to be a tourist souvenir. 

It was the length of a thumbnail and probably for a charm bracelet or chain.  Nice browny-red colour and the texture of bakelite, but possibly it was a later plastic.  It was moulded in one piece though - no seams.  I'd never seen anything like it and thought it was pretty magical - no idea where it went.  I turned the loft upside down but no trace. 

It wasn't reverse carved, having had a quick google.  I suspect it was moulded with a hole in the middle and the cylinder with the image trapped in the middle was slotted in.  Perhaps the cylinder was made of glass.

I miss that pig.  Silly, I know.

[wendy177]

  As far as photos in pieces I only know of what are called prison rings  from bakelite and they are rings made from scraps of bakelite that contained actual photos of a loved one or pet.  They did encase other things in bakelite such as small metal charms but these are rare. Honestly I have only seen ONE pig figure in bakelite in all my years of experience and it is not close to your description. (sorry) I think you are on the right track with it being made of some other plastic and it does sound like a tourist piece. I would search estate sales, boot sales (is that correct?) and such and talk to as many people as you can!! Good luck I hope you and your little piggy are reunited.

[fancypants]

I'm guessing that the pig held a photographic slide ... is this so ?

There are novelty 'keyring veiwers' that were made in a similar fashion ... is this what you're speaking about , glory ?

[wendy177]

I think I found your answer - they are called Stanhopes first produced in the second half of the 19th century,are small, novelty mementos that contain a miniature peephole revealing a "mystery" photograph. Charles Stanhope British politician & scientist (1735-1861) who invented a uniquely powerful magnifying lens, achieving enlargements previously only possible with a microscope are who they are named after. If more info is needed I will be happy to help apparently these are hidden in objects such as perfume bottles they fitted them into the hinges, , sewing accessories,dip pens etc. plastic Stanhopes were produced after the 1920s.

[wendy177]

Glory, Have searched for your Stanhope pig but can find mostly American land mark photos hopefully you can find more English stanhope pieces locally. good luck let me know if you find one.  I have found they can bring prices as high as $400.00 for some.

[glory]

Wow, thanks Wendy!  I'm sure that will help a lot.  Stanhope pig.  To be frank even if it were worth a thousand pounds I couldn't be more cross with myself for losing it.

[glory]

And thanks to fancypants too.

[wendy177]

Glory I totally understand some things just hold so much sentimental value they really are priceless!!! I will also keep an eye out here for a little Stanhope piggy!!!