Vintage Eyeglasses

[chanteuseCarey]

older than Golden Era eyeglasses...

Allyn Scura again to the rescue! I just received my vintage Edwardian tiny gold frames from them with my RX and even a lined bifocal put into them. A.S. was at the Alameda Flea Market last month, and I found these frames. These had no lenses in them, so Allyn (yes, Allyn herself was there that day) put clear tape across the frames to pen mark where the center of my RX would be.

They look really great! I'll have them on tomorrow for a PEERS River City (a la "Music Man") Picnic and dance our family is attending.

So... a picture will be forthcoming-promise!

 

[Elaina]

...they have plastic lenses?

I jest. I'm so blind in one eye I've always had to get glass lenses because of how thick the one is. I generally get thin frames (not always, I do get black nerdy ones with them) and get the edges frosted. Not very technical for it, but they minimize how thick my lenses really are when I'm not in contacts (One eye is 6.75 and the other is 3.5. This means I'm blind as a bat.) I've worn them now for 30 years and never really notice the weight. Might be because I've always had heavy glasses.

I find if I'm tired, sewing, playing on the computer, going to the movies, etc. where my eyes get fatigued, the nerdy pair tends to make my eyes less tired overall (which means the plastic frames). Looking at my wire frames I have on now, both of the lenses stick out of the frames a little, and so I guess mine is because of the vanity point I just kept glass and being able to minimize the look of them.

Nothing vintage about my eye wear. I wear what I like and what looks good on my face at a place I get 2 pairs of glasses, disposable contacts and non-rx sunglasses with the exam for $200. If glasses ruin the vintage look (and sometimes has because let's face it, I like being a little risque`) I have contacts.

 

[chanteuseCarey]

The Edwardian frames are vintage, the lenses are thin modern ones created to put into them. The lenses for my RX (nearsighted, astigmatism, and bifocal) would be heavy I'm sure in glass, AND very breakable. My prescription is thick on parts of the sides, so I usually have a very small percentage of a pink tint added to the lenses so the sides don't look white. Unless someone was really analyzing my glasses, or holding them they probably couldn't tell if the lenses were glass anyway or would even care. Lenses for all mine are thin polycarbonate, with scratch coating and tint.

The vintage eyeglass frames really do add to the vintage overall look! Its like the decorative part of the frosting on the cake I've tried contacts of various sorts over the years, but always with poor results. Cannot see to do anything otherwise, so I wear eyeglasses.

I have my modern eyeglasses, a vintage gold frame 40s American Optical pair, and just added a tiny gold frame vintage Edwardian era pair. Two pairs of sunglasses; modern pair with dark brown lenses, and a new 20s-40s vintage-style reproduction with green lenses. That covers me for pretty much anything I attend or do.

...they have plastic lenses?

I jest. I'm so blind in one eye I've always had to get glass lenses because of how thick the one is. I generally get thin frames (not always, I do get black nerdy ones with them) and get the edges frosted. Not very technical for it, but they minimize how thick my lenses really are when I'm not in contacts (One eye is 6.75 and the other is 3.5. This means I'm blind as a bat.) I've worn them now for 30 years and never really notice the weight. Might be because I've always had heavy glasses.

I find if I'm tired, sewing, playing on the computer, going to the movies, etc. where my eyes get fatigued, the nerdy pair tends to make my eyes less tired overall (which means the plastic frames). Looking at my wire frames I have on now, both of the lenses stick out of the frames a little, and so I guess mine is because of the vanity point I just kept glass and being able to minimize the look of them.

Nothing vintage about my eye wear. I wear what I like and what looks good on my face at a place I get 2 pairs of glasses, disposable contacts and non-rx sunglasses with the exam for $200. If glasses ruin the vintage look (and sometimes has because let's face it, I like being a little risque`) I have contacts.

 

[Elaina]

My modern ones don't look out of place, which wasn't what I meant by ruining the look. Wire frames that suit my face don't change from era to era, nor do the black plastic ones for the most part. I meant more in the context there are times you're doing the pin up, bombshell look where glasses don't always necessarily lend to that look.

Not to say I don't rock the librarian chic, since I do.

 

[DanielJones]

Here are my lookinpeepers with my B & L vintage frames.

I've been quite happy with these. Of course being tired when the picture was took gave me a bit of an Alvin Karpis look, oops. In any case, I love how light these are.
Another pair I had gotten had the lenses glued in & the lab mu optometrist sent them to couldn't put new lenses in it because they couldn't extract the old lenses. Go figure. Anyway, hope you like the specs.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[ladybrettashley]

Dan, those look great on you! What a cool frame shape.

 

[DanielJones]

Why thank you very much lady, most appreciated.
I'm contemplating the idea of finding a similar pair, maybe a tad larger. and convert them into sunglasses. Since my Rx is for reading & computer use, getting Transitions lenses would be useless, but a plain dark amber lens would be perfect for every day use.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[chanteuseCarey]

vintage Edwardian frames

Wore them today, though I'd share two pics even thought they pre-date the Golden Era.

 

[DodgeDeluxe]

I just picked up these vintage frames. I am going to be getting my prescription put in them sometime over the next few weeks. They seem to be in very good shape. 12k GF and have mother of pearl nose pads.

I believe that they are '40's vintage but I am no expert?

Dan

Well, got my vintage frames back now with my prescription in them, here they are ...

Dan

 

[chanteuseCarey]

Very sharp DD!!

Well, got my vintage frames back now with my prescription in them, here they are ...

Dan

 

[Ghostsoldier]

Yes...very nice!
Rob

 

[PoohBang]

here's mine. I had them in a glasses thread but they're really spectacles...

Classic Shurons

 

[MisterGrey]

Have any vintage frame wearers had trouble with the bridge? I had a pair of Shuron Ronwinnes earlier this year that were amazing but for the fact that it seemed the entire weight of the glasses concentrated in and settled on the bridge, making them unbearabale to wear after about thirty minutes or so. The gouges left in my nose after I took them off were unbelievable. They set me back a bit, so I was afraid to try a second pair.

 

[WideBrimm]

Have any vintage frame wearers had trouble with the bridge? I had a pair of Shuron Ronwinnes earlier this year that were amazing but for the fact that it seemed the entire weight of the glasses concentrated in and settled on the bridge, making them unbearabale to wear after about thirty minutes or so. The gouges left in my nose after I took them off were unbelievable. They set me back a bit, so I was afraid to try a second pair.

I've been wearing Art-Craft Rimways (cable temples, CR39 plastic lenses) http://www.artcraftoptical.com/products/dress/legendarylooks/rimway/index.htm for more than a dozen years and have never had a problem. Maybe I'm just used to them[huh] Or maybe I'm just careful usually to handle them with both hands. Nose or ears can get sore on occasion when the frames get a bit twisted. That can even last for a couple of days. Ouch!

 

[dgenevieve]

I just won this gorgeous pair of 1940s art deco-feeling eyeglasses off dr.hugo on eBay! Aren't they gorgeous?!!

$24.80 with shipping (+ the cost of adding my own prescription lenses).

I am so tickled to finally own a pair of vintage eyeglasses! I've been waffling back and forth about what style, frame thickness, level of ornament, etc. for quite some time now. I love that these are slightly masculine-feeling, but with a nice amount of detail to them. The style matches some vintage jewelry that I own.

Of course, I won't really know whether they'll work until I try them on, but the size matches up to my current eyeglasses (though these are a bit taller). I'll be sure to take photos as soon as they arrive! I can't wait!!!!

 

[Mossyrock]

I ordered a pair of Art-Craft Rimways a week or so ago. We'll see how they turn out....

 

[Ghostsoldier]

I just won this gorgeous pair of 1940s art deco-feeling eyeglasses off dr.hugo on eBay! Aren't they gorgeous?!!

$24.80 with shipping (+ the cost of adding my own prescription lenses).

I am so tickled to finally own a pair of vintage eyeglasses! I've been waffling back and forth about what style, frame thickness, level of ornament, etc. for quite some time now. I love that these are slightly masculine-feeling, but with a nice amount of detail to them. The style matches some vintage jewelry that I own.

Of course, I won't really know whether they'll work until I try them on, but the size matches up to my current eyeglasses (though these are a bit taller). I'll be sure to take photos as soon as they arrive! I can't wait!!!!

Nice pair....I've got a few pair of vintage frames from Dr. Hugo, myself...
Rob

 

[Missy Hellfire]

Spectacles

I did a search and couldn't seem to find a thread that was similar so apologies if I am repeating a prior enquiry...

Having just got back from the optician and being told that my eyes are about to fall out unless I get myself some spectacles for work, I thought that this could be the ideal opportunity to get myself some vintage face furniture! As I am on somewhat of a budget, does anyone know of any good tips for getting hold of vintage or vintage style frames (particularly 1920s-1940s)? There is a fantastic site that I am already aware of that is based here in the UK called Retrospecs with a very fine collection but perhaps a little out of my range for now. I have a stopgap pair of specs on order from the optican and managed to get away without having some overpriced rubbish that made me look like I was pretending to be an archetect foisted upon me, but they are nowhere near what I am after. they are only for reading and not constant wear, so I thought I could get away with something quite bold.

Any thoughts, past experiences and tips would be most appreciated!

(Unfortunately it is both my eyes that need tlc, so a monocle is out, darn it!)

 

[MsStabby]

eBay has tons of frames. Do you know your measurements? If not, ask your optician and then search eBay based on your frame size. Also, a few Etsy stores have some fabulous stylish frames worthy of long-term wear (and the price).

 

[BinkieBaumont]

"slightly orf topic, I do admit, just listening to an episode of the Judy Canova, show, from 1943, she is in a theatre causing a bit of strife when a "Society lady looks at her disapprovingly through a lorgnette, Judy remarks "You know what a lorgnette is don't you?, a "Dirty look" on a stick"