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Five hundred years of spectacles, from classic to outrageous
McCall's magazine, August, 1946, detail
Solid gold reading spectacles with crank bridge and Benjamin
Horn and leather glasses with original ear cords, Japan, 18t
U.S. Army test pilot F.W. Hunter, Long Beach, California, 19
La Mondaine, Schiaparelli / American Optical, c. 1956
Audrey Hepburn in "How to steal a Million," 1965
Op Art acetate sunglasses, Shilhouette, Austria, c. 1970s
Carved two-tone Laminate Acetate sunglasses, France, c. 1965
Christian Dior by Optyl, France, c. 1970s

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Eyewear: A Visual History

U.S. Army test pilot F.W. Hunter, Long Beach, California, 19
Courtesy Library of Congress/Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection
    • Five hundred years of spectacles, from classic to outrageous
    • McCall's magazine, August, 1946, detail
    • Solid gold reading spectacles with crank bridge and Benjamin
    • Horn and leather glasses with original ear cords, Japan, 18t
    • U.S. Army test pilot F.W. Hunter, Long Beach, California, 19
    • La Mondaine, Schiaparelli / American Optical, c. 1956
    • Audrey Hepburn in "How to steal a Million," 1965
    • Op Art acetate sunglasses, Shilhouette, Austria, c. 1970s
    • Carved two-tone Laminate Acetate sunglasses, France, c. 1965
    • Christian Dior by Optyl, France, c. 1970s