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The On-Line Museum and Encyclopedia of Vision Aids.
Recent News Articles: July 2013, Treasures Magazine and Winter 2014, Pitt Magazine |
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The On-Line Museum and Encyclopedia of Vision Aids.
Recent News Articles: July 2013, Treasures Magazine and Winter 2014, Pitt Magazine |
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Major 21st Century Optical Discoveries
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Abraham Lincoln’s smaller folding
spectacles turn out to be a little recognized and underappreciated national treasure.
Indeed, the Library of Congress in Washington, DC holds one of the
rarest and therefore greatest pairs of eyeglasses ever created. (read more) |
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A unique early 17th century painting
where Baby Jesus holds eyeglasses, thought to have been destroyed during
the First World War is the greatest anachronism in existence.
Fortunately it survived and has now surfaced in a private collection. (read more) |
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Madame Alfred Heymann’s optical collection was absolutely the greatest ever, yet it disappeared upon her death in 1925. Hiding in storage at nine different prominent museums around Paris, the major portions of it have now been located. (read more) |
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The year 1714 is the new possible date for the development of side arms to eyeglasses. A third trade card of Edward Scarlett has been discovered at the Bodleian Library in Oxford and this new one pushes the previous date back from 1727. (read more) |
Newest Significant Additions to the Website |
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"SIGHT: The Story of Vision" Project |
Coming Soon to the Website |
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McAllister Family Dynasty |
Images With a Deeper Story |
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Abraham Lincoln's Eyeglasses |
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| Vision Aids are amazing! Their history is truly fascinating! As works of art, they have a beauty all their own! | |||
| Certainly one of the most significant inventions of all time, they are symbols of man's incredible ingenuity and craftsmanship! | |||
| Embrace the profound impact that spectacles alone have had on the human experience over the past 730 years. | |||
| Yet they are taken for granted by nearly everyone worldwide! | |||
Sight: The Story of Vision” is a huge PTV documentary project whose major story threads are Science, Medicine, Technology, and Humanity. The primary goal of the documentary SIGHT, with narrator Sir Elton John, and associated planetarium film SEEING, with narrator Neil deGrasse Tyson, is to educate people worldwide that vision is every human’s most treasured sense. SIGHT, the very first Color Blind Assisted (CA) film in history, has already won three Telly Awards and has begun the journey to be broadcast by PBS affiliates across the US. Later in 2017, it is expected to go to international broadcasters. There are four components including a 240 page companion eBook which dives deeper into all the subject matter and also a Second Screen app with definitions for all the terminology along with additional focused interviews. This the most comprehensive program on human vision ever created to inform the general public. Check out www.storyofsight.com |
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Starting with the Introduction and Goals, wander through this non-commercial, not for profit, website. You may find it enlightening and informative to learn about these wonderful items many of us use daily. Look at the Table of Contents. This website is the result of the collaboration of International educators and is for everyone’s interest and enjoyment. It is the place where we celebrate vision aids, (and the optical lens), especially spectacles. The Real Numbers of this website keep growing because Interesting Topics and Slideshows are added regularly. All this would not have been possible without the wonderful support of many noteworthy Contributing Individuals and Participating Institutions. To improve navigation of the website, we have added Quick Links for people with special interests. |
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 Cardinal Nicholas of Rouen, portion of a fresco by Tommaso da Modena, 1352, Chapter Hall of Dominican Monastery, San Nicolo, Treviso, Italy. |
 Temple spectacles, blond horn sunglasses, c. 1770, the finials bear the aristocratic coat of arms of the patrician Mocenigo Family, representing the Doges of the Venetian Republic. Metal case has the shape of a mollusk’s shell embellished with the coat of arms, featured in the 2014 catalogue “Occhiali ea Doge” |
 High plus lenses inside of metal tubes, wooden case, 17th century, very unusual |
 Portrait of Robert Todd Lincoln, Emil Fuchs, President Ekwanok Country Club (1904-1926), courtesy of Hildene, Lincoln Family Home, Manchester, Vermont |
 Spectacles Peddler, Johann GeorgeTrautmann, German, c. 1760, Vascellari Collection |
 Slit bridge horn frame with dark tinted lenses, carved wooden case, late 17th century |
 Comparable to the Daniel Thaxter Patent (American) of June 1839, perhaps Dutch, notice the heart-shaped finials |
 The Vagineri’s Sign (antique name for sheath/container makers guild, established in 1314), restored in 1733, Museo Correr, Venice. |
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Move your mouse over any of the images in this website
for a larger view. The images on this page are replaced several times a year. Previously used images are available in three separate slide shows. |
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