Suggestions and Tips on 18th and 19th Century Eyeglasses
Nov 2, 2019 3:08:46 GMT -7
Black Hand, Keith, and 1 more like this
Post by artificer on Nov 2, 2019 3:08:46 GMT -7
This thread is intended for of those of us who really require prescription glasses to function well either in modern or period activities. Some information will be on using original eyeglasses and some information will be on which types of reproduction glasses are more correct for different periods that forum members are doing. Please understand I am not trying to tell anyone what they must do, but rather give information with which they can make their own choices.
I wish to add a caveat that no two sources seem to date period styles exactly the same way. So when I present time line dates below, it is from an amalgam of the information I have researched over the years and what I believe are good useable dates.
When I began doing living history and other period activities in the mid/late 1970's, there was no such thing as reproduction glasses for the 18th century. Original 18th century glasses for much of that century were rare, often prohibitively expensive, and/or were not conducive to having prescription lenses put in them because the Temples (side pieces) were pinned to the frames.
Back then I asked an Optometrist whether they could put modern prescription lenses in antique spectacles and he said they could, BUT to make sure I bought a set with screws that held the temples (side pieces of the frame) in place. He said it was much too easy to ruin spectacle frames on which the temples were pinned and thus must Optometrists and Eyeglass Shops would not work on them. I ran across dozens of pinned framed spectacles and one pair of original LARGE Round Lensed frame from the 1740's with screws, but they wanted almost $ 200.00 for them, so those were out.
Finally found an original pair with sliding/telescoping temples that were correct for about 1790 onward, close enough I could get away with wearing for all 18th century events, and cost an affordable $25.00. They served me well for a few years in different time periods, before I lost them on the field of tall grass at a reenactment of New Market. (Some day when they are excavated in the future, I wonder if someone will say, "AHA! This proves they had prescription glasses earlier than normally thought!" GRIN.) OK, so back to the flea markets and antique/junque shops for a new pair.
Found another similar original pair with the sliding/telescoping temples, but this time one screw to hold on one temple was missing. However, the threaded hole wasn't wallowed out, so I hoped they could be saved. They had no problem fixing that pair and putting prescription lenses in them.
Finally in the 1990's when I "came back to the 18th century" and by that time, Townsend was selling good 18th century replica frames. I figured it would cost me more in gas and time to find another pair of original frames, so I went that route instead and have been well pleased with them.
However, if one is looking for an original pair, I most strongly suggest to buy the kind that has screws that attach the temples to the frames.
It wasn’t until the first quarter of the 18th century, that it became common for spectacles to have Temples (side pieces) that enabled people to wear their spectacles on a regular basis and not have to deal with spectacles they held up to their eyes or were held in place by pinching the sides of the nose. It seems these spectacles were mostly used by artists, clerks, mapmakers, clock makers, etc. who dealt with fine detail work or reading/writing as a main focus of their trade. The original set I mentioned earlier that cost $ 200.00 way back then, were this type of spectacle.
This earliest type of Spectacles often had round lenses and straight temples with round rings on the ends to use ribbons or cords to tie them on, when they first became available around 1720 to 1730. Oval lenses seem to have been offered a little later and perhaps around Mid 1730’s to 1740. Both in the period and as reproductions, these have some of the largest lenses available and some people really like that, especially if they need “split lense” or bifocal lenses. The Frames and temples were commonly available in Iron, Brass and Silver; depending on what the customer could afford. Though a bit “out of fashion” by the AWI, they were still being worn then and a little later. So this type is excellent to do very early 18th century right up through the AWI.
Original Pair in Iron:
www.aao.org/museum-search-detail?imgid=250e4dae-e8f6-448b-a30f-37916b5f0dce
Here is an original pair of this type with Round Lenses and made from Brass:
i.pinimg.com/236x/cb/99/69/cb9969f48d3f7b9e91b91b1111383be3.jpg
Here is an original pair of this type with Oval Lenses:
i.pinimg.com/originals/ac/4e/18/ac4e183895cb809a593d8ca7975a261e.jpg
The only place I know of that has reproductions of this very early type of Spectacles is James Townsend. He extended the length of the original Temples so the round loops for the ribbons/cord sit behind the ear and are thus more comfortable to wear. (More on using Ribbons/Cords to tie them in place later on.)
www.townsends.us/collections/eyewear/products/1740-1800-reproduction-glasses-frames-gl-784
Finally, though not common at all for this early period glasses, some had square or rectangular lenses:
www.aao.org/museum-search-detail?imgid=250e4dae-e8f6-448b-a30f-37916b5f0dce
Steel frames began to be commonly used in Britain during the late 1740’s/Early 1750’s thanks to Benjamin Huntsman inventing the process of crucible steel in 1742. Steel Frames were sometimes “japanned” blackened and sometimes plated or gilded, again if the customer could afford it.
Around 1750-52, the “double hinged” folding Temples Spectacles were invented. One site I found said it was attributed to British Dr. White (I think that was his name, though I lost the link site, so I’m not sure if the name is correct). The earliest ones of these continued to have Round Lenses and Round Tie Loops on the Temples, though others incorporated new fashion details of Oval Lenses and Tear Shaped Loops on the Temples. Thus this style was correct for the FIW through the AWI and way beyond into the first quarter of the 19th century.
Here is an early pair:
www.aao.org/museum-search-detail?imgid=1ade2549-4d75-41c7-a12b-aead8660aa8c
Colored Lenses in this style seem to have come out around 1775:
www.aao.org/museum-search-detail?imgid=d83b4dca-fe4b-41e1-9d78-e54660da2d4b
Repro from Townsends:
www.townsends.us/collections/eyewear/products/18th-century-reproduction-glasses-gl-791
Repro from Townsends w/Reading Lenses if one doesn’t need full prescription lenses:
www.townsends.us/collections/eyewear/products/18th-century-reproduction-glasses-gl791-p-166
Repro w/Round Lenses and Tear Drop Tie loops:
www.mackenziefrain.com/index.php?product_id=451067&option=Prod_detail&category_id=112981
Same? Repro from Crazy Crow :
www.crazycrow.com/personal-mountain-man-gear/18th-century-spectacles
BTW, the one link below from the museum of the college of optometrists mentioned “split lenses” became common in Britain in the 1760’s, though they were made with two lenses on each side to achieve what we get with Bi-focal lenses today. Thought some folks would find that interesting. When I got my first pair of 18th century reproduction spectacles from Townsends, I needed bi-focal lenses, so I tried a pair of progressive lens bi-focals that don’t show a line on the lenses. Well, that didn’t work for me, so I put a pair of bi-focal lenses in the frames and just didn’t worry it would not be correct for FIW.
I have not been able to discover the period term for Spectacles with Sliding/Telescoping Temples, but this style seems to have come out around 1790. Originally Oval Shaped Lenses were probably the most fashionable, but then Square/Rectangular Lenses came into vogue before the War of 1812. Around 1815 – 1825 Octagonal Lenses also became popular. From my experiences over three decades looking for Original Eyeglasses, these are by far the most common that have survived today and had their beginning in the 18th century. They were used all the way to the end of the 19th century and thus beyond the scope of this forum.
Should you come across originals of this style for a good price, I remind you to choose ones that the Temples are connected to the Frames with Screws, so you can get prescription lenses put in them, BECAUSE so many of these had the Temples pinned to the Frames and it will be difficult to impossible to get anyone to put prescription lenses in them. I don’t know of anyone making reproductions of this style of Spectacles, but there may be some out there.
Here is an early pair with sliding/telescoping Temples and Oval Lenses and Tear Drop Shaped Tie Loops:
p1.la-img.com/1327/31689/12531167_2_l.jpg
Just a note on “Wire” or “Cable” Temples on Spectacles. The earliest I have ever been able to document them was during the Civil War, but for the most part they seem not to have come into common use before the end of the Civil War at the earliest.
A few thoughts on wearing period glasses from many years of doing so. Please don’t try to use rather inexpensive “ribbons” that come on rolls from some fabric stores, as they come loose or break easily and that from personal bad experience. Spend a little more money and get some good fabric ribbons or tapes, if that is what you want to use. I have not been able to examine original 18th century spectacles with original ribbons or tapes on them, but I’m fairly certain they flat stitched the ends to the Tie Loops. I got away from two piece ribbons/tapes pretty fast when I began wearing the original spectacles and especially after I lost my first pair on a reenactment battlefield.
Since we did a lot of Physical Exertion like running, diving down to take cover, wading through streams where the water came up as high as our chests and going through woods where branches or brambles could/would catch on the Spectacles; it was very important to find a way to ensure the Spectacles would remain in place through much, if not all of that exertion. So at first I decided to tie a piece of “artificial sinew” on one Temple Tie Loop, it went around the back of my head and then tied to the other Temple Tie Loop. I would take care the bridge of the frames rested on my nose where I preferred it and learned to make sure the large loop of artificial sinew went around the rear base of my skull – just above where the vertebrae of the neck joined the skull. I did that by tying one end of an over long piece of artificial sinew to one Temple Tie Loop and leaving a loose loop to go around the back of my head and held loosely in the other Temple Tie Loop. When I got the length right so the frame bridge sat on my nose correctly, I held the artificial sinew near the other Temple Tie loop at the right distance and removed the spectacles. Then I tied the loose end at that place. That gave me a large enough loop I could put on and remove the Spectacles with the “one piece loop” that connected to both Temple Tie Loops, but it was not so loose that Spectacles could come off when bending down or even more exertion. It worked great. After I quit using artificial sinew, I used heavy linen flax thread and it worked just as well. I thought about replacing the flax thread with a piece of good small size fabric tape or leather, but the flax thread never frayed enough to need it, so I never got around to trying that.
Townsends Video talking about their Repro Spectacles, including some fitting tips:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG0ahlK3kUY
Documentation is linked below. Also, since I have researched this for many years, I don’t remember many of the written sources.
www.college-optometrists.org/the-college/museum/online-exhibitions/virtual-spectacles-gallery/eighteenth-century-spectacles.html
There are some published works in the below link I have read in the past and some original artwork showing people wearing different types of period spectacles.
www.larsdatter.com/18c/spectacles.html
I hope others will find this information useful.
Gus
I wish to add a caveat that no two sources seem to date period styles exactly the same way. So when I present time line dates below, it is from an amalgam of the information I have researched over the years and what I believe are good useable dates.
When I began doing living history and other period activities in the mid/late 1970's, there was no such thing as reproduction glasses for the 18th century. Original 18th century glasses for much of that century were rare, often prohibitively expensive, and/or were not conducive to having prescription lenses put in them because the Temples (side pieces) were pinned to the frames.
Back then I asked an Optometrist whether they could put modern prescription lenses in antique spectacles and he said they could, BUT to make sure I bought a set with screws that held the temples (side pieces of the frame) in place. He said it was much too easy to ruin spectacle frames on which the temples were pinned and thus must Optometrists and Eyeglass Shops would not work on them. I ran across dozens of pinned framed spectacles and one pair of original LARGE Round Lensed frame from the 1740's with screws, but they wanted almost $ 200.00 for them, so those were out.
Finally found an original pair with sliding/telescoping temples that were correct for about 1790 onward, close enough I could get away with wearing for all 18th century events, and cost an affordable $25.00. They served me well for a few years in different time periods, before I lost them on the field of tall grass at a reenactment of New Market. (Some day when they are excavated in the future, I wonder if someone will say, "AHA! This proves they had prescription glasses earlier than normally thought!" GRIN.) OK, so back to the flea markets and antique/junque shops for a new pair.
Found another similar original pair with the sliding/telescoping temples, but this time one screw to hold on one temple was missing. However, the threaded hole wasn't wallowed out, so I hoped they could be saved. They had no problem fixing that pair and putting prescription lenses in them.
Finally in the 1990's when I "came back to the 18th century" and by that time, Townsend was selling good 18th century replica frames. I figured it would cost me more in gas and time to find another pair of original frames, so I went that route instead and have been well pleased with them.
However, if one is looking for an original pair, I most strongly suggest to buy the kind that has screws that attach the temples to the frames.
It wasn’t until the first quarter of the 18th century, that it became common for spectacles to have Temples (side pieces) that enabled people to wear their spectacles on a regular basis and not have to deal with spectacles they held up to their eyes or were held in place by pinching the sides of the nose. It seems these spectacles were mostly used by artists, clerks, mapmakers, clock makers, etc. who dealt with fine detail work or reading/writing as a main focus of their trade. The original set I mentioned earlier that cost $ 200.00 way back then, were this type of spectacle.
This earliest type of Spectacles often had round lenses and straight temples with round rings on the ends to use ribbons or cords to tie them on, when they first became available around 1720 to 1730. Oval lenses seem to have been offered a little later and perhaps around Mid 1730’s to 1740. Both in the period and as reproductions, these have some of the largest lenses available and some people really like that, especially if they need “split lense” or bifocal lenses. The Frames and temples were commonly available in Iron, Brass and Silver; depending on what the customer could afford. Though a bit “out of fashion” by the AWI, they were still being worn then and a little later. So this type is excellent to do very early 18th century right up through the AWI.
Original Pair in Iron:
www.aao.org/museum-search-detail?imgid=250e4dae-e8f6-448b-a30f-37916b5f0dce
Here is an original pair of this type with Round Lenses and made from Brass:
i.pinimg.com/236x/cb/99/69/cb9969f48d3f7b9e91b91b1111383be3.jpg
Here is an original pair of this type with Oval Lenses:
i.pinimg.com/originals/ac/4e/18/ac4e183895cb809a593d8ca7975a261e.jpg
The only place I know of that has reproductions of this very early type of Spectacles is James Townsend. He extended the length of the original Temples so the round loops for the ribbons/cord sit behind the ear and are thus more comfortable to wear. (More on using Ribbons/Cords to tie them in place later on.)
www.townsends.us/collections/eyewear/products/1740-1800-reproduction-glasses-frames-gl-784
Finally, though not common at all for this early period glasses, some had square or rectangular lenses:
www.aao.org/museum-search-detail?imgid=250e4dae-e8f6-448b-a30f-37916b5f0dce
Steel frames began to be commonly used in Britain during the late 1740’s/Early 1750’s thanks to Benjamin Huntsman inventing the process of crucible steel in 1742. Steel Frames were sometimes “japanned” blackened and sometimes plated or gilded, again if the customer could afford it.
Around 1750-52, the “double hinged” folding Temples Spectacles were invented. One site I found said it was attributed to British Dr. White (I think that was his name, though I lost the link site, so I’m not sure if the name is correct). The earliest ones of these continued to have Round Lenses and Round Tie Loops on the Temples, though others incorporated new fashion details of Oval Lenses and Tear Shaped Loops on the Temples. Thus this style was correct for the FIW through the AWI and way beyond into the first quarter of the 19th century.
Here is an early pair:
www.aao.org/museum-search-detail?imgid=1ade2549-4d75-41c7-a12b-aead8660aa8c
Colored Lenses in this style seem to have come out around 1775:
www.aao.org/museum-search-detail?imgid=d83b4dca-fe4b-41e1-9d78-e54660da2d4b
Repro from Townsends:
www.townsends.us/collections/eyewear/products/18th-century-reproduction-glasses-gl-791
Repro from Townsends w/Reading Lenses if one doesn’t need full prescription lenses:
www.townsends.us/collections/eyewear/products/18th-century-reproduction-glasses-gl791-p-166
Repro w/Round Lenses and Tear Drop Tie loops:
www.mackenziefrain.com/index.php?product_id=451067&option=Prod_detail&category_id=112981
Same? Repro from Crazy Crow :
www.crazycrow.com/personal-mountain-man-gear/18th-century-spectacles
BTW, the one link below from the museum of the college of optometrists mentioned “split lenses” became common in Britain in the 1760’s, though they were made with two lenses on each side to achieve what we get with Bi-focal lenses today. Thought some folks would find that interesting. When I got my first pair of 18th century reproduction spectacles from Townsends, I needed bi-focal lenses, so I tried a pair of progressive lens bi-focals that don’t show a line on the lenses. Well, that didn’t work for me, so I put a pair of bi-focal lenses in the frames and just didn’t worry it would not be correct for FIW.
I have not been able to discover the period term for Spectacles with Sliding/Telescoping Temples, but this style seems to have come out around 1790. Originally Oval Shaped Lenses were probably the most fashionable, but then Square/Rectangular Lenses came into vogue before the War of 1812. Around 1815 – 1825 Octagonal Lenses also became popular. From my experiences over three decades looking for Original Eyeglasses, these are by far the most common that have survived today and had their beginning in the 18th century. They were used all the way to the end of the 19th century and thus beyond the scope of this forum.
Should you come across originals of this style for a good price, I remind you to choose ones that the Temples are connected to the Frames with Screws, so you can get prescription lenses put in them, BECAUSE so many of these had the Temples pinned to the Frames and it will be difficult to impossible to get anyone to put prescription lenses in them. I don’t know of anyone making reproductions of this style of Spectacles, but there may be some out there.
Here is an early pair with sliding/telescoping Temples and Oval Lenses and Tear Drop Shaped Tie Loops:
p1.la-img.com/1327/31689/12531167_2_l.jpg
Just a note on “Wire” or “Cable” Temples on Spectacles. The earliest I have ever been able to document them was during the Civil War, but for the most part they seem not to have come into common use before the end of the Civil War at the earliest.
A few thoughts on wearing period glasses from many years of doing so. Please don’t try to use rather inexpensive “ribbons” that come on rolls from some fabric stores, as they come loose or break easily and that from personal bad experience. Spend a little more money and get some good fabric ribbons or tapes, if that is what you want to use. I have not been able to examine original 18th century spectacles with original ribbons or tapes on them, but I’m fairly certain they flat stitched the ends to the Tie Loops. I got away from two piece ribbons/tapes pretty fast when I began wearing the original spectacles and especially after I lost my first pair on a reenactment battlefield.
Since we did a lot of Physical Exertion like running, diving down to take cover, wading through streams where the water came up as high as our chests and going through woods where branches or brambles could/would catch on the Spectacles; it was very important to find a way to ensure the Spectacles would remain in place through much, if not all of that exertion. So at first I decided to tie a piece of “artificial sinew” on one Temple Tie Loop, it went around the back of my head and then tied to the other Temple Tie Loop. I would take care the bridge of the frames rested on my nose where I preferred it and learned to make sure the large loop of artificial sinew went around the rear base of my skull – just above where the vertebrae of the neck joined the skull. I did that by tying one end of an over long piece of artificial sinew to one Temple Tie Loop and leaving a loose loop to go around the back of my head and held loosely in the other Temple Tie Loop. When I got the length right so the frame bridge sat on my nose correctly, I held the artificial sinew near the other Temple Tie loop at the right distance and removed the spectacles. Then I tied the loose end at that place. That gave me a large enough loop I could put on and remove the Spectacles with the “one piece loop” that connected to both Temple Tie Loops, but it was not so loose that Spectacles could come off when bending down or even more exertion. It worked great. After I quit using artificial sinew, I used heavy linen flax thread and it worked just as well. I thought about replacing the flax thread with a piece of good small size fabric tape or leather, but the flax thread never frayed enough to need it, so I never got around to trying that.
Townsends Video talking about their Repro Spectacles, including some fitting tips:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG0ahlK3kUY
Documentation is linked below. Also, since I have researched this for many years, I don’t remember many of the written sources.
www.college-optometrists.org/the-college/museum/online-exhibitions/virtual-spectacles-gallery/eighteenth-century-spectacles.html
There are some published works in the below link I have read in the past and some original artwork showing people wearing different types of period spectacles.
www.larsdatter.com/18c/spectacles.html
I hope others will find this information useful.
Gus
