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Folding bow spectacles

9 Luglio 2020/in Spectacles with folding bow/da

Center Mediterranean area, Syria or Candia XVIII century. Silver folding bow spectacles. Two dolphins or Triton are the ornamental theme for the arms of these pivoted spectacles. Their heads create the hinges of eyerings conjunction and the locking pin designes the eye of the fish. Contained in a brass and silver banjo case, is characterized by numerous engravings that imaginatively represent fish, snakes and birds, inspired by the post Byzantine miniature typical of Greek decorations. On the lid there is an inscription most likely subsequent to the production of the object: X MAMA DAM ASKENOS, 1816 which translated is, Hadji: noble and rich, Mama: male name, Damaskenos: from Damascus (surname), definitely the name of the user or to whom was given the object. Due to the type, the origin date is certainly earlier than the date engraved.

Folding bow spectacles

9 Luglio 2020/in Spectacles with folding bow/da

England, 1760. Extremely rare folding bow spectacles with shark skin case. Thank to the silver bridge and the double hinges, the two lenses inserted in horn rings, could be put one on top of the other one, looking like a wheel. On the bridge there is a signature “BM”. It belongs to Benjamin Martin, Optician in London, inventor of the lenses in the horn rings.

Fabergè Glasses

9 Luglio 2020/in Lorgnettes/da

Russia, 1890. Niello silver lorgnette made by Fabergé silversmith. Coat of arms of the Romanov family, Czar of Russia.

Eyeglasses type Richardson

9 Luglio 2020/in Spectacles Richardson type/da

France, 1850. Blue steel four lenses horseshoe spectacles with blue and green lenses and red leather case. Made by Bianchi optician, active in Paris since 1787.

Eyeglasses on tiles

9 Luglio 2020/in Optics on tile/da

Holland, end of 1600. Ceramic Delft tile. A nobile lady is represented here, holding an object. It could be one of the first depictions of the famous Venetian or French eyeglass developed among the nobility which was actually a monocle.

Eyeglasses on tiles

9 Luglio 2020/in Optics on tile/da

Holland, 1670. Ceramic Delft tile with an itinerant optician. He is carrying a shoulder box and holding bow specs with both hands.

Ex Voto

9 Luglio 2020/in Ex-vote/da

Italy, late 1800. Ex voto in silver-plated, dedicated to St. Lucia. Northern Italian school for the item factory.

Ex Voto

9 Luglio 2020/in Ex-vote/da

Syria, 2nd or 1st millennium before Christ. Object of prehistoric worship from Tel Barak. The idol in question is represented by two large eyes testifying to the importance attributed to this organ since prehistoric times.

Eskimo Spectacles

9 Luglio 2020/in Eskimo snow glasses/da

Lapland, about 1800. Protective eyewear carved on wood and coated internally with pitch black to reduce reflection of the back surface. Object was found during an Arctic exploration in 1907.

English parchment

9 Luglio 2020/in Documents and books/da

London, England, 1841. Wooden case containing one paper and one parchment documents. Mr. Campbell Henry Dundas’s admissions to the free society of glass makers.