1835-80  Octagon Eyeglass frame

Incuded with purchase is our 1800s Slip in Case and Micro Fiber Wipe with our Historic EyeWear Company logo.

THE HISTORY BEHIND THE STYLE 

Although Octagon shaped spectacles were available from the beginning of the 1800s, the octagonl shaped spectacles combined with the narrow loop-slide temple appear aapproximately 1835-1836 and their popularity continued through 1900. These frames were made by hand on an individual basis by spectacle makers who could spend the better part of a day constructing each pair. The slide temple was designed as a one-size-fits-all temple, and when retracted, allowed for a smaller, easier to carry and store spectacle case. No primary source information has been found, but many original spectacles have been found with cord or ribbon tied through the teardrop finals to suggest some use for keeping the spectacles in place.