"A german woodcut of an old woman spinning with spectacles tied to her head-dress. c. 1550 (V&A Museum) "A Handbook of Costume" by Janet Arnold
Peasants wearing specs in 1550 and Arnold! Pretty much blows the "you can't have specs" argument to hell! LMAO Thanks go to M.T. for finding the reference!
This is the most touted image for frames - everyone quotes and refers to it and who am I to buck with tradition (YES! You may replace the b!). So here's the guy with the strings round his ears, single bar, top lacing loop, dead centre side closures which may be either wire wrapped or screw bolted ( I actually did find an engraving proving bottom screw bolt closure for 1540 - but damned If I can remember where!!!).
c. 1600 engraving of a spectacle shop and market Click to enlarge What I love about this engraving is that it shows the extensiveness of who was wearing specs! Absolutely everyone. Now, yes there is documentation from the Spanish saying all the courtiers were wearing specs the sizes of dinner plates to show intellectual they were - BUT cry the mavins, where is the proof that anyone else under a nobleman did? Well, here! Tailors, bootmakers, booksellers and passers by. And wearing them to walk around in - thereby for nearsightedness! I stick my tongue out at the lot of you!
;)
