Help to identify spectacles And other eye wear.

I been to a Auction and bid blindly (No pun intended

Just wondered if anyone could identify what type they are possible age period and maybe value .



This is the whole collection




This pair are the only ones I think are Gold .They seem to be made of bright yellow metal .

And Tortious shell.

Looking at the style I would think 1920s-30s

There in a metal case with leather covering

 

These ones seem to be of a different style no ear pieces or rims but nose bridge possible made of Gold
Once again metal case.
Was wondering are these a latter date .

 

This pair seem to have the rims made of a very fine and thin sort of material was wondering is this also Tortoise shell .

There broken from the nose piece but would easy fit together again .
Would it be worth me fixing them or getting rid .

The box say Lewis's optical department Manchester .

Lewis's is a high end department store .

 

I can't help as I have no knowledge of the subject but I am wondering if you have examined each for any marks, even if very tiny.

I also did find this site if it's of any help.

http://www.antiquespectacles.com/guide/guide_to_assist.htm

 

This pair seem to be made of a cheap thin metal

Comes with original wooden case very tight fit was wondering are these the oldest pair and could any one suggest a date .

 

These ones are my favourite yellow metal sure there not gold seem tarnised

Spring loaded

Fits on rim of the nose come in original leather bag .

 

View attachment 55466 View attachment 55467 View attachment 55468

 

The pair in your 2nd posting are called pince-nez. Think of Pres. Teddy Roosevelt. FDR worn them also. They usually had a thin chain attached to them. On these you can see where it was attached to the left lens in the 3rd pic *up.* The chain was a safety chain of sorts for it had a clamp or pin on the end that attach to the person's clothing. My grandmother worn them back in the early 1900s when teaching school. Hers have a patent date on the pin that retracts the chain of 1903 and 1910. The pic has the maker's name Ketcham & McDougall. These rimless pince-nez seem to have a hard bridge rather than a spring bridge. I believe when spring bridges came out, they were preferred rather than hard bridges because they stayed on the nose better. Now I can't tell you anymore about the glasses because they are not shape enough. Good clear close-ups of the bridge area is needed in trying to ID antique glasses.

Cropping your pictures would enlarge the views and possibly make them easier to see. Also editing them (adjusting their brightness, contrast, etc) would certainly help us.

I have taken the liberty of editing one of your pics in hopes of seeing it better. Your pic of them is:
Weight-wise: 277 KB
Dimensional-wise: 1536 pixels wide X 2560 pix high.
The edited pic is:
Weight-wise: 38 KB
Dimensional-wise: 519 pix wide X 327 pix high



This site may have help in IDIng these glassess. There used to be a pretty good site for ID antique glasses called Vintage Eyewear, .... at vintageiwear.com, but it isn't online anymore. http://www.eyeglasseswarehouse.com/index.html

--- Susan

 

I now see that your 3rd posting is of a pair of spring bridge rimmed pince-nez. It seems to have its original case. Do look that case over for any markings. Also look the bridges over with a the loupe, magnifying glass, for markings.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pince-nez

Here's another site for IDing antique spectacles:
http://www.antiquespectacles.com/guide/guide_to_assist.htm

--- Susan

 

Your first post seems to have a pair of curl temples AKA riding bow. As to whether gold, look for markings on the temples and the bridge. If it was gold, I believe it would be marked so. They probably date from c1900?

--- Susan

 

Oops, just now saw SIS's reply with the link to antiquespectacles.com website. Gee, I certainly see her reply when I first posted, but it was there.

--- Susan

 

Thank you Susan just looked no Gold markings on the pair and closer inspection they are very tarnised at the ends of the frames so most defently dosent seem to be Gold .


Thank you for all the information you posted Are you yourself a person who collected Spectacles ?

 

The glasses/spectacles in the 5th reply have small teardrop loops temple finials. The bridge appears to be

"Crank" bridge - upside down "U" in the U.S.
"Arch" bridge in the U.K.

These may be the oldest dating possibly to the mid 1800s?

 

You're welcome. I don't necessarily collect them, but have several pairs passed down from my grandparents and great grandparents. Through the years have spent time researching and IDing them.

--- Susan

 

The wooden case partially pictured in #5 reply might be??? a wooden slip-top case made in Mauchline, Scotland. Seems similar slip-top cases were produced from approximately 1860-1933. Many of these cases "were popular souvenirs for travelers, with simple decal decoration featuring familiar scenes, monuments, buildings, and the like." Now I'm not sure yours is a slip-top case for can't see enough of it.

--- Susan

 

No it just a average slip type wooden case

 

The pair in your 4th posting appear to be wig glasses. They do not have ear loops on them as they were designed to be poked into the wig.

Item 2 is a pair of pinz nez as already stated. They are missing the chain and ear loop from the right hand side where it has broken off. They should look like this;

https://www.etsy.com/listing/494588...lasses-by-ecoiffier-of?ref=shop_home_active_4

It is a pair I have in my shop

 

This was a very interesting post to read. But I do have a question.

Were glasses ever made out of gold? As in real, solid like...9kt gold, for example?

I've seen a LOT of antique glasses. They pop up in flea-markets a LOT for some reason. And almost all the ones I've seen are either some base metal, or they're gold-fillled/plated.

I know solid silver glasses are real (and boy I'd love a pair!) but what about gold?

 

Some were made out of 14ct Gold I read up on since posting this thread .

Also the reason I bought some because I seen a jeweller buy some at the Antique center I have my unit at .

I'm not sure if I right the frames might not be Gold but the bridge for the nose always is .

But don't quote me on that lol?

 

Thanks are yours fold up if you notice mine they fold up and fit into a very Small case