Newest additions to the website

 What's Coming Soon to the Website

Neat Discoveries
(4 so far)

  
Vision Aids are amazing! Their history is truly fascinating! As works of art, they have a beauty all their own!
Certainly one of the most significant inventions of all time, they are symbols of man's incredible ingenuity and craftsmanship!
Embrace the profound impact that spectacles alone have had on the human experience over the past 730 years.
Yet they are taken for granted by nearly everyone worldwide!

Starting with the Introduction and Goals, wander through this non-commercial, not for profit, website. You may find it enlightening and informative to learn about these wonderful items many of us use daily. Look at the Table of Contents. This website is the result of the collaboration of International educators and is for everyone’s interest and enjoyment. It is the place where we celebrate vision aids, (and the optical lens), especially spectacles. The Real Numbers of this website keep growing because Interesting Topics and Slideshows are added regularly. All this would not have been possible without the wonderful support of many noteworthy Contributing Individuals and Participating Institutions. To improve navigation of the website, we have added Quick Links for people with special interests.
Death of the Virgin Mary, probably by Gonçal Peris (1380-1451) painted between 1410 and 1430, altarpiece from Burgo de Osma (Soria), inventory #MFM 934, Museo Frederic Mares, Barcelona
Death of the Virgin Mary, probably by Gonçal Peris (1380-1451) painted between 1410 and 1430, altarpiece from Burgo de Osma (Soria), inventory #MFM 934, Museo Frederic Mares, Barcelona		 Hand carved wooden eyeglass case, hinged lids with two medallions each of two Evangelists, one pair of brass rimmed spectacles (but the case may have been created instead for two leather-framed eyeglasses rather than a larger group of single wire Nuremburg-style spectacles), 17th century, given by Henry Christy (Trustees of), registration no. 1866,0627.141, British Museum, Department of Prehistory and Europe, London. Incredibly rare and significant
Hand carved wooden eyeglass case, hinged lids with two medallions each of two Evangelists, one pair of brass rimmed spectacles (but the case may have been created instead for two leather-framed eyeglasses rather than a larger group of single wire Nuremburg-style spectacles), 17th century, given by Henry Christy (Trustees of), registration no. 1866,0627.141, British Museum, Department of Prehistory and Europe, London. Incredibly rare and significant (Hover over the left side of the image to see the front of the case, and over the right to see the back of the case.)		 Snow goggles, artifact of the Thule people (pre-historic Inuit) of Devon Island in the Canadian High Arctic, walrus ivory, circa 1200 AD © Canadian Museum of Civilization, Gatineau, Quebec, artifact IX-C-2846, photo by Harry Foster,1989, image no. S89-1832. These are not truly optical (they are without glass) but in fact they do represent early sunglasses, or snow goggles, found at an archeological site, with small slits to see through, designed for protection of the eyes from snow blindness caused by the bright spring sunlight.
Snow goggles, artifact of the Thule people (pre-historic Inuit) of Devon Island in the Canadian High Arctic, walrus ivory, circa 1200 AD © Canadian Museum of Civilization, Gatineau, Quebec, artifact IX-C-2846, photo by Harry Foster,1989, image no. S89-1832. These are not truly optical (they are without glass) but in fact they do represent early sunglasses, or snow goggles, found at an archeological site, with small slits to see through, designed for protection of the eyes from snow blindness caused by the bright spring sunlight. Click to visit:  http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/home 		Fede Galizia (1578-1630), Portrait of Paolo Morigia, oil on cloth, Copyright Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Milan, auth. # F 51/08 Morigia (1525-1604) belonged to the Congregazione dei Gesuati [Order of the Apostolic Seminarians of St. Jerome], founded by the Blessed Giovanni Colombini, of which he was four times nominated General Father Superior. With the approval of the Holy See he also reformed its statutes. He was a historian he gathered extremely interesting data for knowledge of his time and he was later buried in the Church of S. Girolamo [St. Jerome].
Fede Galizia (1578-1630), Portrait of Paolo Morigia, oil on cloth, Copyright Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Milan, auth. # F 51/08 Morigia (1525-1604) belonged to the Congregazione dei Gesuati [Order of the Apostolic Seminarians of St. Jerome], founded by the Blessed Giovanni Colombini, of which he was four times nominated General Father Superior. With the approval of the Holy See he also reformed its statutes. He was a historian he gathered extremely interesting data for knowledge of his time and he was later buried in the Church of S. Girolamo [St. Jerome].
Franklin at home in Philadephia, painting by Henry Bacon (1840-1912), late 19th century, donated in 1940, The Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, Boston, MA This is one of only TWO KNOWN paintings in existence showing Franklin with his bifocals!!
Franklin at home in Philadelphia, painting by Henry Bacon (1840-1912), late 19th century, donated in 1940, The Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, Boston, MA This is one of only TWO KNOWN paintings in existence showing Franklin with his bifocals!!		 Waldestein crystal glasses, first half 19th century, as seen in Bel Vedere, the Spectacles of the Luxottica Museum, edited by Marisa Del Vecchio
Waldestein crystal glasses, first half 19th century, as seen in Bel Vedere, the Spectacles of the Luxottica Museum, edited by Marisa Del Vecchio		 Solid gold spectacles, oval frame and K bridge, with pivoting side-arms, with tear shaped formed finials, 18 carat, made by B.H. van Gaart Amsterdam (1844-1888). The case is also 18-karat gold, with a floral carved mounting around thick tortoiseshell, resting on 8 golden balls. On top of the case there is a casted then driven and chiseled 18-carat golden plaquette with a barock floral design, Dutch, circa 1870, Auctionhaus Zeeland
Solid gold spectacles, oval frame and K bridge, with pivoting side-arms, with tear shaped formed finials, 18 carat, made by B.H. van Gaart Amsterdam (1844-1888). The case is also 18-karat gold, with a floral carved mounting around thick tortoiseshell, resting on 8 golden balls. On top of the case there is a casted then driven and chiseled 18-carat golden plaquette with a barock floral design, Dutch, circa 1870, Auctionhaus Zeeland		 Beautiful Brisé fan, fifteen exquisitely decorated pierced ivory sticks with inlaid Mother-of-Pearl, also a leaf of embroidered silk, one draw spyglass in the pivot, European, 1780-1820, Louwman Collection of Historic Telescopes
Beautiful Brisé fan, fifteen exquisitely decorated pierced ivory sticks with inlaid Mother-of-Pearl, also a leaf of embroidered silk, one draw spyglass in the pivot, European, 1780-1820, Louwman Collection of Historic Telescopes. (Hover over the left and right sides of the image to see details of the fan.)
Move your mouse over any of the images in this website for a larger view.
The images on this page are replaced several times a year. Previously used images are available in a separate slide show.

[ Introduction & News ] [ History & References ] [ Identification & Preservation ] [ Public Collections & Virtual Museum ] [ Interesting Topics ] [ Education & Games ] [ Links ] [ About Us ]
[ What's New ] [ Coming Soon ] [ Table of Contents ]

The contents of this website copyright © 2003-2009, antiquespectacles.com. All rights reserved
This Site and any content appearing on it may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written permission of Antique Spectacles, etc.

Updated 06/28/2009. Privacy Notice •Copyright Notice • Terms of Use • Contact Us
Unless otherwise noted, all images on this website are from private collections.