Specimen of the Atlantic Cable

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The image depicts a black-and-white photograph titled "Specimen of the Atlantic Cable" by an unknown artist. The specimen is a glass-enclosed object resembling a large magnifying glass or a small telescope, mounted on a stand. The object has a circular base and a short, thick stem supporting the glass-enclosed part. The glass enclosure is round and contains numerous small, white spheres resembling beads or pearls, densely packed at the bottom. The enclosure has a black metal frame with two small handles on either side. The background of the photograph is a plain gray surface with shadows cast by the specimen. The photograph is presented on a white background with a thick black border around it.