Morning journal and courier., 1884-02-11
About Opera Glasses.
OOoG OpC1" SlobSSESS What They are Made of and What The,

What They are Made of and What They From the New York Tribune.J
 With what sapient eye glasses and owl eyed opera-glasses, the average playhouse
 audience has become an aggregate of petty l masked batteries, each of which Is trained
 on the others with merciless drectness and continuity. Some facts as to the ''graPt guns' in this raking fire were recently l learned from a courteous salesman at Tiff 1 fany's. Said he:
 'I should say that, judging by our experi- | ence, the sale of opera glasses has increased shreefold over sales of two years ago In deed, to meet the heavy demand, we import ed as many as a thousand pairs for this sea- son. Imported? yes, for there are no opera glass makers in this country known to the trade. Voigtlaender of Vienna, and Cheval- Her of Paris, are considered the best makers, though others, like Lsmaire and tho firm of Bardou ct Fills, both of Paris, are not without reputation. London runs to the first two the same as New York Besides stock from Voigtlaender and Chevalier we keep glasses stamped with our own name and made for us in Paris; we consider these quite as good as the former, but sell them at a slightly cheaper rate Tell you something about the materials used? We'll, opera. glasses have either six or twelve lenses. The latter, as you may suppose, possess double power; they arc also more achromatic-have less foreign coloring than the six-lens glasses For the eye-piecss flint glass is used; also rock-crystal which is smoother and clearer yet. For the end piece flint and crown glass ia T1aad the first balnp haak rnada coDoaya and the other convex. Of course the quality of the glass varies, and then the grinding, focusing and adjusting are of importance, depending on the maker. We might look at the framss and mounting now. Our cheapest pairs have brass frames, lacquered black, 0nd ulountings of seal leather. These range in price from $5 to $15, depending on the size and the number of lenses, six twelve. Only one quality of glass is used in them.
 Those of the next higher grade range from $15 to $50, and have aluminium frames the price varying with the quality of glass and the size. Ths aluminium frames have sil verish color, which never tarnish. More of these frames are sold than of any other kind, their extreme lightness making them popular. Sometimes the silverish color is exchanged for black by means of lacquer. The next grade of opera glass includes those with mountings and mother of pearl of smoked pearl, and of oriental rearl The coloring of the last two is artificial These same two have heavy. frames ($13 to $5O), and the light aluminium frames ($30 to $75). The mother of-pearl frames cost from $35 to $7O. In all three the heavy frames giIded with French gilt.
 Nov we come to what are called the sfancy' glasses. Ivory and shell are no longer included in these, as the first discolors quick ly, and both of them crack and break easily under atmospheric influences The fancy glasses have frame and mounting alike, and are the enamelled, the gold, the silver, and the aluminium. The enamelled glasses cost from $1o0 to $175; the plain gold from $150 to $26o; the plain silver, $1OO; the etched silver, S13O; and the aIuminum plain, $75; enamtlled, $85. Of course, you know there are exceptionally high priced glasses also. Ses here's one of gold inlaid with dia monds and sapphlres, and costing $500. We have had one inlaid with rubies and costing $5, GOO. The novelties just now in this class of glasses are mountings of what is called Persian gold Ca maroon color brought out of the gold by chemicals acting on the alloy, and causing also an enamel effect) 8 mount ing of white calf-skin, and mounting made entirely of aluminium. Here's very strik- ing one-ground of the silvery aluminium covered with lace-work of gold. It costs $250. The Persian gold mounts cost $185 and $350 For dress occasions frame of aluminium and 8 mounting of mother of pearl is popular. Are vest-pocket glasses still sold ? had dozen two weeks ago and have only one left now. Voistlsender makes these also, their price being SIS"