GREEN TINTED SPECTICLES
What we have here is a pair of pre war green lenses in a brass frame. I feel very comfortable saying that they date between 1820 and 1840. This is the double lenses style but the inner lenses have been completely removed. The legs were the folding type but the rear portion that rest on your ear or these may have been temple style, have been removed. The front portion of the legs is still intact. If you have a good set of legs you can put them on these and make a pretty sharp set of specs. If you need the lenses for your set you can use these. The frames are of the screw type so you can easily disassemble them for repair. I think the lenses alone are well worth the price asked.
Some time ago an "expert" (an expert is someone who is at least 50 miles from home) told me that tinted lenses were only used in the treatment of STD patients and to wear them meant you were suffering from some social decease. I don't have a clue where this info came from but I don't believe a word of it, at least I do not think it applies in any way to the CW era.
I'm not advocating the use of tented glasses by re-enactors in any way. The reason being that they had long since gone out of style. In the colonial era they were all the rage. I remember reading a reproduction of a newspaper printed by Benjamin Franklin, in it one advertiser made a very big deal out of the fact that he was expecting a brand new shipment, from England, of glasses with tinted lenses, both blue and green, and invites all his friends and customers to stop by his shop and inspect them upon their arrival.
Now if you can prove me wrong on this one please do, I'll happily print it right here if you can come up with a primary source that you can quote showing that I'm mistaken and I'll give you all the credit. I'd love to see it and everyone would love to see me sit down to a big plate of crow.
GREEN TINTED SPECTICLES SP-00 $29.95 BUY NOW!
1863 TIN CASE FOR SPECTACLES
I'm very happy to be able to offer another tin case for spectacles. I seldom find these things anymore so it's very cool to have two for sale at the same time. Some of these tins are marked 1860 and others 1863. I think this one has the patent date of Sept. 1863 stamped on it just below the latch. It is very faint and requires a magnifying glass to read. As you can see the felt is no longer intact but is easily replaced should you care to actually use it. The Japanning is still very strong and the hinge is tight. No reason at all not to use this one. It measures 5.5 inches long and 1.25 inches wide at the widest point.
I've seen these used for a housewife and I have a dug one that was turned into a match safe.
1863 TIN SPECTICLE CASE $49.95 SOLD
RECTANGLE SPECTICLES AND TIN CASE
If you have tried to find a good tin case for your spectacles lately you know that these things are disappearing fast. It's even harder to find a case that still has the spec.s in it.
As you can see from the photos above this pair has the sliding adjustable legs and they work very well. I don't think you could change this pair to your prescription unless you took them to your jeweler first. They are very sound and strong but one of the screws has been replaced with a pin. They can be changed but your optometrist won't work on your frames. If you can get him to cut a pair of lenses a good jeweler, (strong emphasis on GOOD) can fix them up for you.
The lenses that are in these magnify at about a 1.5+ so they would work just fine for reading glasses if that is what you need for your impression. I would rate these glasses as from fair to good condition. They are not like brand new but I see no reason not to wear them. No scratches or blemishes on the glass. There is a small amount of surface rust on the case that can easily be removed with 00 steel wool and the Japanning effect can be easily be imitated with a light coat of "cold blue" which can be purchased at any good sporting good store. The hinge on the case is strong and 98% of the original blue felt lining is intact. This case does not have the a patent date embossed as some of a similar design do.
SPECTACLES AND TIN CASE $99.95 SOLD
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