My favorite set, hinged French sterling silver reading glasses, specs, spectacles with clear eyepieces intact, and an earlier 18th century semitransparent blond tortoise shell specs case with 18k gold broad stringing and cartouche. I did not acquire these 2 superb antiques together, but have paired them. For years they've rested atop a small stack of my favorite leather bound antique books, just for ambiance. It's time to let my collections go, though. Some day I'll start listing the book collection, but I digress. These go together so well, I will offer them together only. Do not ask me to sell separately, please. Full measurements noted on the photos.
Very good to excellent condition for age and type. The spectacles are a special invention with pin-hinged earpieces which open and then give option of arching to the back for comfort and stability on the face while looking down as one does in reading or as a scribe, for instance. That little added feature allows one to fold them smaller, as well, to tuck into a case or a pocket. Both lenses are intact and have perhaps a +1-2 magnification. I mostly use a +2 now, but I can still read with these. The older 18th century spectacles case has a couple of flaws, the typical very fine hairlines, which one can see in the various photos. One at an end, one near a hinge. There is also the issue of a slight warp to the case, only really noted if you're looking for it, but shown on photos. The 18k gold cartouche and broad stringing are each made curved to fit the case and are not raised anywhere. Hinge and clasp are each fully intact and working perfectly. Beautiful old rare blond tortoise shell.
IMPORTANT NOTE regarding antique tortoise shell or ivory: We are great supporters of protection for endangered species in our modern world. We never buy or sell anything 100 years or newer; we donate to anti-poaching organizations; we don't hunt; we conserve in ways that impact global warming (we're totally solar at home), knowing those measures also protect the animals in the wild today. We also recognize the vast cultural history we preserve with our care and reverence for these antique objects, and agree with CITES that objects over 100 years of age have nothing whatsoever to do with species depletion in our current world.
Our offering exceeds the age limitation of "more than 100 years of age", and is well within the exemption for CITES regulation. If imported, met the CITES regulation. This item will be handled and shipped from our Utah business, and is not available for shipment internationally, nor within the USA to California, NY, Nevada, Hawaii, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington if it contains ivory, sorry. Please see our small print for more details.
