The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-07
NEW OPERA GLASSES.
What Science and Art Have Done of
Late to Improve Theatre Binoc-
ulars.

Many remarkable improvements have
been made lately in the manufacture of
opera glasses, especially for long dis
lance observation. Their wonderful lenses
alone bring up the cost to triple the
amount of an ordinary handsome glass.
These lenses are very small, and those at
the bottom of the barrels are exactly the
same size as the ones at the top. The
barrels themselves are as long as con-
venttonal glass when drawn out full
length. The focus for ones eyes is found
by means of turning little wheel on the
aluminium stem between the barrels. This
wheel is screwed loose and pushed up and
down on tiny metal plate, bearing five
or six numbers. Looking through the
barrels, one pushes the wheel up or down
until perfect focus for ones eyes is
found. then the wheel is screwed in tight.
Observing the metal plate, one can see
that the wheel stopped at one of the
numbers, 4. 5, or g. which indicates what
number is ones perfect focus
After that the wheel can be kept at
the number or when the glasses are
loaned TO some one whose eyes focus diff
ferentiy, it is a convenience merely to
push the wheel back TO number 6, screw
ii in tight. and once more use the glasses
without again guaging a comfortable
range of vision.
INCREASING THE SCOPE AND AN
GLE OF VISION.
This new arrangement is applied to all
fine glasses of improved make. though
ulars which tickles the theatre-goer's
fancy. 1t is a pair of glasses that seem
to have their barrels doubled at the bot
tom. So it seems, indeed, from the out
side but this is merely to make room for
a device by which the eyes are given their
full angle of vision. With ordinary
glasses one is only able to take in a por-
ton of the stage, a single individual, or
object. at a time, while through the
new ones, by moving only the eyes and
not the glasses at all, ones glance ranges
over the whole stage.
Here is a boon, indeed, for the regular
first-nighter, who. up in the very cock
loft. can fairly count the heroine's eye
laSheS. take in a tableau complete and
need not, moreover, complain If his or
her eyes are not trif1e nearer together.
o. just a 32nd of an inch further apart
than those of the ordinary individual Not
only do her new glasses hold their focus
and triple her visual powers, but their
barrels work on a hinge and the hinge
is held fast by bit of a screw. Turn the
screw to the right and the barrels stretch
further apart or to the left and they
come nearer together. They will even lift
obliSingly a trifle higher one than the
other. so that eyes set at any angle can
be exactly fitted.
ALL IN AN ENVELOPE.
So much for scientific improvement.
which has not reformed the opera glass
at the expense of comfort, convenience.
or elegance. for that matter. The the
ater-going young man and his tailormade
sister. to all appearances. carry no
glasses at all, but when the act begins
they pull from their pockets fiat little
envelopes of leather, not larger than
would be needed to hold a folded sheet
of medium-sized note paper. Hers is of
brown elephants skin, edged with gold
and her initials set on at the point OF the
flap, her address across the front side
His envelope is likely enough of sweet |
smelling Russia leather, and both are
lined with satin. Their contents prove
- hfr1e lace rhal Nv Of
glasses without barrels The small and !
large lenses, framed in narrow rims of
pearl. are hinged to what looks like a |
silver gilt H, with central bar. The !
plate for fixing the focus, a short skeleton |
handle folds out from across the small |
lenses and in trice this ghost of a |
commonplace opera glass is fixed for |
use, and giving complete satisfaction. At |
the close of the play 1t folds up, is slipped |
in its envelope, and makes a pocket |
package not as bulky as a woman's !
purse minus its contents.
Just convenient TO carry, but not so |
light to hold, is the collapseable glass, |
which. on a central frame, draws out as |
into handy pocket object, not more |
than an inch high. Nearly all these |
glasses are made of leather and alumni |
nun, to insure perfect lightness when
they are upheld; but for the woman who
observes the stage from box seat this
glittering metal is not quite luxurious
Her glasses are mounted in tortoise
shell, cut very thick. to give the rich
brown and yellow tones a more splendid
glow. The long stick is deliberately
carved and fastened to the outer side
o. one of the small light barrels by a
hinge so that the little glasses can be
used as a lorgnon would be. The wives
of milliona;res have their tortoise shell
trifies deliberately banded with jewels and
carry them in long narrow satin bags
that have gold gate tops and hook into
the dress belt.
When no handle is used, the tiny, pow
e-ful glasses fit in cases of the most
delicate wicker work. lined with satin
and prettily fastened with silver gilt
paddock. So light and delicate is all
thiss made that the wearer carries ii
dangling from the neck by a long fine
gilt or silver chain.