Description
Rare American silver railroad spectacles, c. late 1830s or 1840. The frame bears the marks of Philadelphia silversmith John Owen, who practiced from 1804 to around 1840. American railroad spectacles of this quality and early manufacture are especially scarce, and this is a pair of exceptional quality and design.
Railroad spectacles were designed for passengers riding in the often open carriages of early trains. Hinged D-shaped lenses unfold on either side, designed to protect one’s eyes from the cinders, smoke, and sparks billowing up from the belching coal-fired steam locomotive ahead.
This example — in practically perfect condition — has unusual rich bottle-green, almost teal lenses, intended as much to block out glare as to improve eyesight (optometrists from the eighteenth century through the end of the nineteenth argued blue or green-tinted lenses corrected myopia). The frame itself is remarkable for its expert work: the extendable temples are sturdy, the hinges perfectly aligned, with all components tight and perfectly formed like an ingenious folding puzzle. The fact that the eyeglasses were largely executed by hand is mind-blowing. As an unusual and masterful example of American silver, the frames are a treasure. Given that they date to the earliest days of American passenger railroads, the spectacles also offer an extraordinary viewpoint to an important era in American history.
Recently acquired from an important private collection of antique eyewear.
Measurements
Frame front: 4 3/8 inches across
Temples: 6 inches long (at a curve)
Condition
Excellent antique condition.
Shipping
Free in the continental United States. If an international buyer, please contact me for a shipping estimate by clicking here.
