Spectacles gallery
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The British Optical Association Museum is one of the world's foremost authorities on the history of spectacles. The contents of this online exhibition are the result of several decades of research carried out by museum staff and supporters. The text has been subject to detailed peer review and is constantly revised to reflect the latest scholarship. We believe this is the most reliable history of spectacles available on the web.
Select where you want to go within this section from the menu options below.
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The invention of spectacles
How and where glasses may have begun
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Rivet spectacles
The earliest form of spectacles
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Seventeenth century spectacles
Eyewear in the 1600s
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A bit on the side
The development of spectacle sides
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Eighteenth century spectacles
Eyewear in the 1700s
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The Vickris-Hyam spectacles
A special pair of spectacles with a family history
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Nineteenth century spectacles
Eyewear in the 1800s
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Scissor spectacles
The cutting edge of eyewear
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Quizzing glasses (Quizzers)
A single lens to peer through
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Monocles
A single lens to wear in the socket
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Reading glasses and magnifiers
Not what the phrase means today
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Lorgnettes and folding eyeglasses
Spectacles on the end of handles
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Twentieth century spectacles
Eyewear in the 1900s
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NHS Spectacles
Free glasses for all...for a while
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Dr Dujardin's Luminous Spectacles
Seeing lights
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Driving spectacles
Put these on your hooter
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Twenty first century spectacles
Eyewear in the 2000s
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