A rare pair of miniature acoustic hearing aids, designed to be placed individually in the ear to collect and concentrate sounds, long before the advent of electric prostheses. Made of solid silver and preserved in their elegant original black canvas-covered box with a blue velvet interior, they are a remarkable testimony to the history of hearing aids and Belle Époque medicine.
✦ Estimated period: late 19th – early 20th century, circa 1900 ✦ Provenance: Europe, probably France ✦ Dimensions: box approx. 8 x 5 x 2.5 cm; devices approx. 2.5 x 1.5 cm each ✦ Material: solid silver, visible hallmarks; cardboard box with cover, velvet interior ✦ Condition: good overall condition; patination and slight signs of use on the silver, no significant deformation; wear and small losses to the box's covering. Latch and hinge present.
This rare pair of antique solid silver hearing aids is a fascinating medical collector's item, ideal for a cabinet of curiosities or a collection of medical history.
