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Black butterfly glasses with rhinestone detailing. $350-450. Chocolate-brown wings with rhinestone highlights. $250-350.

By Donald-Brian Johnson • Photos by Leslie Piña

riter Dorothy Parker once declared By the mid-twentieth century, glasses-
that “men seldom make passes at wearers, after years of interchangeably dull
Wgirls who wear glasses.” Judging by frames, were in the mood for something more
what, for many years, constituted eyewear flattering. Paving the way for change were the
fashion, Dorothy may have had a point. eyewear manufacturers themselves, who saw
Although eyeglasses had been around since possibilities in a previously untapped market.
medieval times (illustrations exist of early In 1930, for the first time, eyeglasses were
Chinese and Italians wearing them), they were featured as part of a major fashion show, held
originally regarded as necessary evils, available at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria. In 1939,
only to the wealthy and the well-connected. Altina Sanders won an America Design award
Functional and unattractive, for her “Harlequin frame,”
they were also hand-crafted, regarded as the first real
and thus affordable for only a fashion frame design, and
select few. forerunner of the upswept
cat-eyes so popular in the
Viewing The Past ’50s. Then, following World
Mass-market availability War II, cellulose acetate
Op-art styling, with “earring chains” replacing came with the Industrial emerged as an inexpensive,
temples. It was an old idea revisited: medieval Revolution of the mid-1800s. workable frame component,
Chinese held their glasses in place with ear Inexpensive glasses were now leading to 1948’s introduc-
ribbons attached to weights. $120-160. within the grasp of every tion of the first molded
consumer, but the emphasis frame. Finally, eyeglass
was on serviceability rather designers could let their
than style. The choice of a imaginations run wild.
frame was generally left to the
optician, much as the choice Seeing the Light
of medication was left to the Eyewear advertising soon
family doctor. Those in need focused on the appeal of
of visual aid gave no more glasses as a desirable fashion
thought to the concept of Nancy Ann Miller was named accessory. Who could resist
“fashionable” glasses than Bausch & Lomb’s first Ray-Bans, with “frame styles
they did to the concept of “Miss Specs Appeal” in 1953. so flattering they’re almost
fashionable dentures. Glasses Hailed as “America’s prettiest model wicked.” Who could say “no”
were what they were—and who wears glasses,” Nancy Ann’s to American Optical frames
what they were wasn’t very prizes included $300 in defense that guaranteed “everything
appealing. bonds, and a nice assortment will look dazzling tomorrow.
Multi-color butterfly highbrows. $150-250. of B & L frames.

“Dr. Scholl’s Health Glasses,” designed to Faceted circular “hippie” (or “granny”) Star-flowers with rhinestone centers
exercise flabby eye muscles. $25-35. glasses from the 1960s. $60-75. and petals. $300-400.
40 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles