Essex Jewelry and Antiques
Great Pair 1868 Antique American 10k Yellow Gold Eyeglasses Spectacles Glasses
Regular price
$464.00
Presented is a wonderful pair of antique American eyeglasses or spectacles, in 10 karat yellow gold. These date to circa 1870 and were likely made by Augustus B. Johnson, New Hampshire. The glasses are a simple stylish design, with oval lenses, a simple curved bridge, and little teardrop shaped loops at the ends of the arms, where a lanyard could easily be attached. The glasses come with a metal case, which fits them well and may be original.
These glasses are in excellent condition. The frames are working well, with no damages and no repairs. The glass is intact, but of course to wear them you would need to have a professional add your own lenses. Some wear to the case, as you'd expect. The glasses are marked “A. B. Johnson” on one arm.
We have tested the gold with nitric acid and guarantee it to be 10 karat gold. The maker's mark is likely for Augustus B. Johnson, a jeweler of New Hampshire with other eyeglasses attributed circa 1870. The case itself has a faded mark including a date that looks like 1868.
The glasses measure about 4 1/8 inches from temple to temple.
More specific measurements:
The measurements are as follows:
The maximum width. The width over the hinges is 104.1 mm.
The width without the hinges from the end of one lens to the end of the other lens is 89.5 mm.
The width of the bridge, or the distance between the lenses, is 25.7 mm.
The size of the lenses, glass only, not including the gold frames around the lenses is 31.5 x 23 mm.
The case is about 6 inches long.
The total weight for the pair of glasses (without the case) is 14.9 grams. Some of this weight is in the glass, but it is very light, so most of this weight is in the gold. -jm
These glasses are in excellent condition. The frames are working well, with no damages and no repairs. The glass is intact, but of course to wear them you would need to have a professional add your own lenses. Some wear to the case, as you'd expect. The glasses are marked “A. B. Johnson” on one arm.
We have tested the gold with nitric acid and guarantee it to be 10 karat gold. The maker's mark is likely for Augustus B. Johnson, a jeweler of New Hampshire with other eyeglasses attributed circa 1870. The case itself has a faded mark including a date that looks like 1868.
The glasses measure about 4 1/8 inches from temple to temple.
More specific measurements:
The measurements are as follows:
The maximum width. The width over the hinges is 104.1 mm.
The width without the hinges from the end of one lens to the end of the other lens is 89.5 mm.
The width of the bridge, or the distance between the lenses, is 25.7 mm.
The size of the lenses, glass only, not including the gold frames around the lenses is 31.5 x 23 mm.
The case is about 6 inches long.
The total weight for the pair of glasses (without the case) is 14.9 grams. Some of this weight is in the glass, but it is very light, so most of this weight is in the gold. -jm