Spectacles
date: label: date made
content: ca 1850
notes: label: Description
content: In the nineteenth century this type of eyewear was referred to as eye protectors or railroad glasses. They have four colored lenses and were worn to help protect weak eyes from bright light, dust, and the wind when out riding or driving. They have steel frames with double lenses (sometimes referred to as Double-D lenses) and are tinted different shades of blue and blue-green. Lenses could be found in shades of blue, green, amber, and gray. The bows are sliding extension temples terminating in a teardrop-shaped fenestration. This pair of eyeglasses date from about 1850.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: Subject
content: Ophthalmology
label: Subject
content: Education
label: Subject
content: Ophthalmology
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Medicine
label: See more items in
content: Health & Medicine
label: See more items in
content: Clothing & Accessories
label: See more items in
content: Artifact Walls exhibit
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Robert S. Moody
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MG.317912.064
label: accession number
content: 317912
label: catalog number
content: 317912.064
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Spectacles
label: Other Terms
content: Spectacles; Eyeglasses
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: steel (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: glass (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: extended: 2.9 cm x 15 cm x 14.5 cm; 1 1/8 in x 5 7/8 in x 5 11/16 in