The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-03-13
ABOUT OPERA GLASSES.
What They are Made of and What
They Cost.

What with sapient eyeglasses and
owl-eyed opera glasses, the average
play house audience has become an ag-
gregate of petty masked batteries. each
If which is trained on the others with
merciless directness and continuity.
Some facts as to the great guns" in
this raking fire were recently learned
from courteous salesman at Iiffany's.
Said he:
Il should say that, judging by our
experience, the sale of opera glasses
has increased threefold over sales of
two years ago. Indeed, to meet the
heavy demand. we imported many
thousand pairs for this season. I'm
poEtedp Yes, for there are no opera
glass makers in this country known to
the trade. Voigtlaender, of Vienna, and
Chevallier, of Paris, are considered the
best makers, though others, like Le-
maire and the firm of Bardou eft fills,
both of Paris are not without reputa-
ton. London runs to the first two the
same as New York. Besides stock from
Voigtlaender and Chevallier, we keep
glasses stamped with our own name
and made for us in Paris; we consider
sell them at slightly cheaper rate.
Tell you something about the materials
used? Wen, opera glasses have either
six or twelve lenses. The latter, as
you may suppose, possess double power;
they are also more achromatic-have
less foreign coloring than the six lens
glasses. For the eye pieces, flint
glass is used; also rock-crystal which
IS smoother and clearer yet. For the
end, piece flint and crown glass is
used, the first being the best made con-
cave and the latter 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 frames
and mountings now. Our cheapest
pairs have brass frames lacquered black
and mountings of seal leather These
range in price from S. to $15, depend
ing on the size and number of lenses.
six or twelve. Only one quality of
glass is used in them. Those of the
next higher grade range from SIS to
500, and have aluminium frames, the
price varying with the quality of glass
and the size. The aluminium frames
have a silverish color, which never tar
nishes. More of these frames are sold
than of any other kind, their extreme
lightness making them popular. Some
times the sllverish color is exchanged
for black by means of lacquer. The
next grade of opera glasses includes
those with mountings of mother-of-
pearl, OF smoked pearl and oriental
pearl The coloring of the last two is
artificial. These last two have heavy
frames (S13 to $50), and the light alu-
minum frames $3.50 to 500. The mo-
ther-of-pearl frames cost from S35 to
$40. In all three the heavy frames are
gilded with French gilt. Now we come
to what are called ''fancy" cases. Ivo-
ry and shell are no longer included in
these, as the first discolors quickly, and
both OF them crack and break easily
under atmospheric influences The
fancy glasses have frame and mount
ing alike, and are the enameled. the
gold, the silver and the aluminium.
The enameled glasses cost from 800
to $175; the plain gold from $50 to
$3.50; the plain silver, 500; the etched
silver, $130; and the aluminium plain
$75, enameled $50. Of course YOU
know there are exceptionally high
priced glasses also. See, here's one of
gold inlaid with diamonds and sap
phires, and costing $500. We have
one inlaid with rubies and costing
$4,000. The novelties in this line of
goods just now are mountings of what
is called Persian gold Ga maroon color
brought out of gold by the action of
chemicals on the alloy, and causing al
so an enamel effecO, mounting of
white calfskin, and mounting of alu-
minum. Here's very striking one
ground of the silvery aluminium COW
cred with lace-work of gold. 1t costs
$3.50. The Persian gold mounts cost
Sl65 and $350.--N Y Tribune.