Private collection

England, 1797. Sterling silver ring temple spectacles, bifocal lenses. Contained in porbeagle case. One of the most ancient pieces with bifocal lenses after Benjamin Franklin's invention in 1785. In a letter written in May 23rd, 1785 Franklin is finally pleased to have a single pair of glasses that allowed him to see both distance and near. These were two lenses with different powers, half-moon shaped and placed together in the same ring.