The Coronation Copescope

This periscope was issued for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2nd June 1953. Such items, made from card, were mass produced as cheap, throw away functional souvenirs primarily intended for use by the estimated crowd of 3 million people lining the Coronation route through London to improve their view of the procession. The periscopes were sold on Coronation day by street sellers moving amongst the crowd or could have been purchased in advance from retailers. Images of the Coronation procession reveal the popularity of the periscopes that can be clearly seen being widely used by spectators to view proceedings above the heads of those in front.