Sandow photographed by the London Stereoscopic Company in 1889. Here he lifts a huge dumbell. Note that these dumbells were often hallow (like this one), and were lighter than they appeared, though still extremely heavy. He had a number of three-dimensional parlor photographs taken by this company wearing this costume.

Note the "dumbell" on the floor was truly shaped like a "bell". The original "dumbells" that strongmen lifted were actual small church bells with the clapper removed. Thus the name "dumb" (or mute) bell was adopted for all one-handed iron weights.