Spectacles, or eye glasses as they are more commonly known today, have a rich history. As early as the 15th century, the wearing of spectacles gave the illusion of a strong intelligence among the blue-blooded nobility. By the 18th century, gentlemen wore spectacles to give the impression of intellect, although many did not know how to read.
The first spectacles made, known as 'Pince Nez', were generally of wood or leather with a center pivot and date to the 15th and 16th centuries. Old paintings and woodcuts show these types of glasses being worn. During the 17th and 18th century, the 'Nuremberg' type, made of a continuous copper wire frame with round lenses, became extremely popular due to their inexpensive price. All Pince Nez type of glasses are characterized by their lack of earpieces; they were formed to sit on the bridge of the nose. They remained popular through the 1930's under different patents and varieties.
In the 18th century, 'Temple' spectacles were invented, with arms fitted with rings, which allowed the temple pieces to be pressed against the head. They were also known as Wig spectacles as the arms were secured beneath the wigs of prominent men. Most of this type of spectacles had round lenses, although you can occasionally come upon rectangular or octagonal shapes. Bifocal lenses, usually attributed to being invented by Benjamin Franklin, also made their appearance during this period.
Other types of vintage lenses include: 'Lorgnettes' lenses with one long or short handle attached to the side in order to hold the lenses in front of the eyes, 'Scissors' similar to Lorgnettes only the lenses fold into the handle for storage, 'Quizzing Glasses' single lenses often wore around the neck, and the extremely popular 'Monocle' which were held by muscular effort in front of the eye.
Collecting antique and vintage spectacles or reading glasses can be an entertaining and inexpensive hobby. Some collectors focus on a specific style of glasses or a specific time of manufacture. Others attempt to collect a sampling of every style and time period.
There are many places available to begin your collection. Look at yard sales, thrift shops and flea markets; many of these places will have several dozen pairs thrown into a box and often will sell the whole lot for very little money.
Antique stores, while a bit pricier, can help you round out your collection as they often have the much older styles. Usually antique stores, when they have vintage glasses available, carry lenses more than a hundred years old and in excellent shape.
Another terrific way to begin your collection is searching over the Internet in online auctions. A quick glance will show vintage and antique reading glasses starting as low at two dollars and very seldom over twenty five. Some keywords to use: antique reading glasses, vintage reading glasses, old reading glasses and antique or vintage eye glasses. Put quotation marks around your searches in order to find exactly what you are looking for.
There are also Internet groups that buy, exchange and trade vintage lenses. These can be found by a simple search with any search engine.
Your antique and vintage lenses will increase in value if you have the original case that came with them. Although sometimes impossible to find, they are well worth the extra dollar or two you may have to pay out.
Many times all that is needed to clean up an old pair of spectacles is a soft cloth dabbed in vinegar. Gently cleansing the metal with the vinegar can take away the grime on the frame and also spotlessly clean the glass.
