Vintage eyeglasses... Opinions?

[BDMhistorian]

I found these lovely vintage eye glasses at an antiques shop in Ellicott City, MD some time ago and have had a hard time finding any place to put prescription lenses into them. Most places won't touch vintage glasses since they can't guarantee them, but I finally found a place in the mall to do them, so I'll have them for the GAP. *thumb up*

Whaddaya think? (And yes, I know I look like an owl...)

[Johanna von Mauer]

They look really cool I have been trying to get hold of a pair of ladies vintage sunglasses with horned rims for ages and can't find any.

[BDMhistorian]

Thank you!

Funny you mention vintage sunglasses, because there's an antiques mall near me that has a pair in approximately the same style than my "new" glasses but with a thick bakelite frame in the "horn" colors. Only problem is that one of the pieces that go behind the ear is broken off at the end (missing about a centimeter or so).

Oh - have you tried http://www.eyeglasseswarehouse.com/ ?

[MissDirndl]

I like them, like you I had bother getting my prescription put in but eventually got them sorted.

I just look like a fat Bunty in mine.

[Hoffman Grink]

OOOOOOOOOOOH! BUNTY!!!!

[andy d]

I picked up two pairs of frames recently and my mate fitted prescription lenses no bother (he is an optical engineer).
After I picked them up, I told them how old the frames were and he was surprised how well made they were.
So it seems a little odd that the opticians are chickening out.

[Kolya]

A pair of period specs was one of the first things I went looking for once the "kit bug" bit... Bought a rimless pair off eBay (and they're bally nice an' all) but the local opticians quoted me £100 to get the lenses replaced

[klara]

I picked up a pair of pinz nez at Twinwoods for £12 - apparently loads of people had tried them on but they didn't fit anyone, so they must have been waiting for me. The next day I was talking to my dad and he said he'd got some old glasses lying around and then found me two pairs of glasses, a pair of pinz nez and a pair of sunglasses - all period. I went along to my optician and they quoted me £80 to have either my prescription or blank glass fitted - all without guarrantee. Luckily one pair that I got from dad has blank glass already so I will be able to wear them along with the sunglasses.

[BDMhistorian]

I just look like a fat Bunty in mine.

Okay, stupid question - what's a Bunty?!

And yeah, I went through quite a bit of trouble to have lenses put into them, and went to see most optometrists in my area - fortunately there are MANY of them.

At most places they said they wouldn't do it because of the age of the frames. They won't and don't warranty their work on vintage frames. Some places were reluctant to work on anything other than what they sold in their store.

And one of the places told me they'd do them if it weren't for the fact that they didn't know how the temples are held in, and were worried the whole frame would just fall apart if they undid the two screws on the side. In most modern glasses, there's a small screw that holds the temple in, but in these ones, there's a pin. I ended up taking them apart myself to see how the pin stayed in (they were worried about losing it) and found that it was attached to the bottom piece of the frame.

I ended up having them done at Hour Eyes, a cheap commercial place around here that offers $39 eye exams. I've had them do my everyday glasses as well and didn't tell them the other frames were vintage, just that I wear them for special occasions. I also had to explain about the pins in the temples there, but once I explained that and the lab tech looked at them, they said no problem. I paid $69 for the lenses.

[MissDirndl]

Bunty...well you know those sort of fat 1930s English girls...played lots of hockey /'Hurrah for the upper sixth!'

Whilst searching for a pic of 'Bunty magazine for girls' I only found a bizarre photoshopped image of the queen!! V funny though..

http://www.ask-bunty.co.uk/queenscock.jpg (a little nudity involved folks!)

[BDMhistorian]

That was just wrooooong. *tries to get image out of head*

[les hearn]

wont telll you where i got my gold ones from

[MP44]

OOOOOOOOOOOH! BUNTY!!!!

Definately shades of Harry Potter there.

No they look very good on you BDM.

[Helmut Schegel]

You look absolutely stunning.
I searched for original period service eyeglasses for some time before I found this site
Espenlaub Militaria :
http://www.aboutww2militaria.com/index. ... rsonal.htm
I got a pair of un-issued deinstbrille complete with original case for €62(£42 or $79). They also do Masken-brille(gasmask glasses) for €55.
The big optician chains would'nt touch them but my local optician put in some ordinary lenses for £40.