This page should clarify any confusion regarding terms. Please refer to it
often. The significant majority of the definitions* have been taken from: The
American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language.
| *Abalone |
 |
n. any of the various large edible marine
gastropods of the genus Haliotis, having an ear-shaped shell with a row of
holes along the outer edge. The colorful, pearly interior of the shell is
often used for making ornaments; also called ear shell. |
| *Astigmatism |
|
n. a visual defect in which the unequal
curvature of one or more refractive surfaces of the eye, usually the cornea,
prevents light rays from focusing clearly at one point on the retina,
resulting in blurred vision. |
| *Baleen |
|
n. See whalebone |
| Beryl |
|
n. a semi-precious gem that was used for making some
early lenses; a water-white ground rock crystal which had magnifying
effects; brillen and bril were derived from this word. |
| Besicles |
 |
n. derived from the
word beryllus, also a modification of Berycles (beryl circles), ; this is an
early French term used for bow spectacles when they started to make them in
metal; was used before spectacles came to be called lunettes which itself
was derived from Lune (Moon) therefore became Lunettes (small moons). |
| *Bifocal |
 |
adj. 1. having two different
focal lengths.
2. having one section that corrects for distant vision and another that
corrects for near vision, as an eyeglass lens. |
| *Concave |
 |
adj. curved like a section of the
inner surface of a sphere |
| *Convex |
 |
adj. having a surface or boundary
that curves or bulges outward, as the exterior of a sphere |
| *Chatelaine |
 |
n. a clasp or chain worn at the
waist for holding keys, scissors, spectacles, or a watch, etc. |
| *Crystal |
 |
n. a mineral, especially a
transparent form of quartz, having a crystalline structure, often
characterized by external planar faces. |
| Dowel screw |
 |
n. early form of screw
occasionally seen in the hinges of 18th century steel or circa 1800 brass
spectacles (most commonly noted projecting upwards on one side while
projecting downwards on the other hinge). |
| Draw |
 |
n. the number of tubes or
extensions in a spyglass or miniature telescope. |
| *Eye bath |
 |
n. a small cup with a rim
contoured to fit the socket of the eye, used for applying a liquid medicine
or wash to the eye; also called eyecup.
(This the English term.) |
| *Eyecup |
|
n. see eyebath |
| *Eyeglass |
|
n. 1. a single lens in a pair
of glasses; a monocle. 2. eyeglasses glasses for the eyes. |
| Fan Spyglass |
 |
n. a decorative fan with a
miniature spyglass attached usually at the pivot.
We believe that the largest collection is at the
British Optical Association museum in London and the second largest is at the Museum
of Fine Arts in Boston. |
| *Finial |
 |
n. an ornamental terminating
part; final. |
| *Hallmark |
 |
n. a mark used in the England
to stamp gold and silver articles that meet established standards of purity.
|
| *Horn |
 |
n. one of the hard, usually
permanent structure projecting from the head of certain mammals, such as
cattle, sheep, goats, or antelopes, consisting of a bony core covered with a
sheath of keratinous material. |
| *Ivory |
 |
n. a hard, smooth,
yellowish-white substance composed primarily dentine that forms the tusks of
the African Elephant (Loxodonta Africana). |
| *Lorgnette |
 |
n. a pair of spectacles or opera
glasses with a short handle: a lorgnon |
| *Magnifier |
 |
n. one that magnifies,
especially a magnifying glass. |
| Masterpiece
spectacles |
 |
n. elaborate and elegant
showpieces which displayed the skill and proficiency of The master who
wanted to obtain “freedom” and then be admitted into the Guild of Nuremberg
in the 17th century; usually the bridge was “worked open” |
| Mauchlineware |
 |
n. useful and decorative items
crafted from the wood of a sycamore tree originally produced in the little
Scottish town of Mauchline; they frequently had transfer scenes and their
peak production was from 1860 - 1880 |
| *Monocle |
 |
n. an eyeglass for one eye. |
| Monocle gallery |
 |
n. the extension which gives the
monocle stability in the front of the eye socket and prevents the eyelashes
from touching the posterior lens surface |
| *Mother-of-pearl |
 |
n. the pearly, iridescent internal
layer of certain mollusk shells, used to make decorative objects |
| Nuremberg
spectacles |
_small.jpg) |
n. made by “Leonischen Draht”
(copper silver-coat). The frame is constructed of one piece of metal and the
lenses are frequently of bad quality (with bubbles). The lenses are held in
the frame with a little piece of wire. |
| *Pebble |
|
n. clear colorless quartz; rock
crystal. (It's much harder than man-made optical glass.) |
| *Pince-nez |
 |
n. eyeglasses clipped to the
bridge of the nose. |
| Pseudohallmarks |
 |
n. ones which are not authentic,
like the ones occasionally seen on brass spectacles |
| Quizzing glass |
 |
n. a single lens on a hand held
stem which has been made into a fashion accessory; quizzer |
| *Rivet |
 |
n. a metal bolt or pin having a
head on one end, inserted through aligned holes in the pieces to be joined
and then hammered on the plain end so as to form a second head. |
| Sable |
 |
n. “covered with sand”;
describes the tiny opaque and translucent glass French beadwork used on some
costume accessories and decorative objects. Probably originated in one or
two 18th century Parisian workshops; (fewer than 400 objects are known in
the world today and almost 200 are at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA.)
Photograph Copyright 2004 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. |
| Scarlett’s focus
mark |
 |
n. a number scratched on the
surface of the periphery of an 18th century lens to denote its strength.
This was the earliest system for demonstrating the graduated lens powers.
|
| Scissors glasses |
 |
n. held in front of
the face and formed of two lenses with a hinged handle; the lenses commonly
fold down into the handle which thus becomes the case as well |
| *Shagreen |
 |
n. the rough hide of a shark or
ray (Family Dasyatidae) covered with numerous bony denticles. Shagreen named
after a Parisian leather craftsman at the 18th century French court,
Jean-Claude Galuchat. He began to fashion sting-ray for Louis XV and members
of his court, applying it to objects that had never before been made –
toilette items, perfume flacons, sewing and snuffboxes, wig-cases and the
like, and in the way that brought out its inherent beauty and mystery. |
| *Spectacles |
|
n. a pair of glasses |
| *Spyglass |
 |
n. a small telescope |
| *Tartan |
 |
n. any of numerous textile
patterns consisting of stripes of varying widths and colors crossing at
right angles against a solid background, each forming a distinctive design
worn by the members of a Scottish clan. |
| *Tortoiseshell |
 |
n. the mottled, horny,
translucent, brownish covering of the carapace of certain tortoises or
turtles, especially the Hawksbill, used to make combs, jewelry, and other
articles; species Eretmochelys imbricate. |
| *Trifocal |
 |
n. having three focal lengths;
having one section that corrects for distant vision, a second section that
corrects for middle vision, and a third that corrects for near vision, as an
eyeglass lens. |
| *Votive |
 |
adj. given or dedicated in
fulfillment of a vow or pledge; a votive offering ex votos. |
| *Whalebone |
 |
n. the elastic, horny material
forming the fringed plates that hand from the upper jaw of baleen whales and
strain plankton from the water. |
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