Stanhope Material

The Stanhope material is an early form of transparent paper made from thin metal foil, usually copper or gold, coated with a clear, hard, glass-like layer. Developed in the 19th century by chemist Charles Stanhope, it allows light to pass through while being durable and resistant to moisture and air. This unique property made it useful for applications like decorative window panes or viewports in scientific instruments. Essentially, it's a metal sheet treated to be both see-through and sturdy, combining the strength of metal with the transparency similar to glass.