History of Glasses

History of Glasses

History of Glasses

Sunglasses of vintage quality have never been more collectible.

From early Ray bans to aviators and 1950s novelty sunglasses, there is a huge variety of retro shades available and they may prove to be an invaluable investment.

Sunglasses first appeared in the 1880s, but only became popular in the late 1920s.

Hollywood stars such as Joan Crawford and cary Grant war round sunglasses in the 1930s and the leading American brand Ray-Ban was founded in 1937.

History of Glasses, aviator sunglasses, worn by military pilots first became popular during world War 11.

Wrap around sunglasses were made very popular  by jazz musicians in the 1950s.

History of Glasses

In the late 1950s, novelty shades with decorated plastic frames were all the rage and are now very collectible.

Classic styles by Foster Grant and Ray-Ban generally fetch from $40-$300 in the early 1960s, the trend was for space age sun goggles.

Later in the decade, John Lennon sparked a trend for wire framed granny glasses.

Designer shades were the must have of the 1970s especially those by Emmanuelle Khanh

Playboy was a big phenomenon in the 1970s, and memorabilia connected to the name is collectible today, fetching from around $80-$200,for a good pair.

The 1980s saw a return to retro shapes such as the aviator and  Ray-Ban wayfarers Cazal  produced large frames that are now popular with hip-hop lovers, and a vintage pair can command up to $700 in today market.

History of Glasses

top tips.for collecting

Watch out for scratched lens, or damage frames as this reduces the value.

Look out for  styles  that are typical of a particular period.

Fakes of top names are common, so check a new pair against a pair that you know to be real.

I hope you have found this page on the History of Glasses  to be informative and helpful.

History of Glasses

Happy hunting from the collectibles coach.