Civil War Era Eyeglasses: By John Braden

[benjclark]

Re: Civil War Era Eyeglasses: By: John A. Braden

Stumbled across an interesting quote while researching something else, something for the colored lens questions:

DAILY TIMES [LEAVENWORTH, KS], April 18, 1861, p. 3, c. 2
Lost.—J. F. Shroder lost a pair of purple-glass specs, steel bows, in case. Any person finding the same will do a favor by leaving them at this office.

[David Fox]

Re: Civil War Era Eyeglasses: By: John A. Braden

Re: use of corrective spectacles by Civil war personnel. A few thoughts. First, these were young armies and need for eyesight correction often comes with age. Second, glasses were expensive (Meade was likely miffed when branches knocked the spectacles off his face as he rode cross country by night to reach Gettysburg the night of 1 July). Third, when I was young and sitting for school portraits, Momma always told me to comb my hair (school photographers in the '50s handed out plastic combs, which we thought was pretty spiffy) and to TAKE OFF MY GLASSES. And I did. And I'll bet a banknote the Boys of '61 usually did, too.
A most enjoyable thread.

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Civil War Era Eyeglasses: By: John A. Braden

Just as one more thing to contemplate, I thought I'd add the following from Augustus Meyer's Ten Years in the Ranks (p. 310). It opens up the possibility that, contrary to what I thought I knew as recently as a couple of months ago, not all glasses in the period had small lenses:

Captain Came was an elderly man and
very peculiar. He glanced at the papers and in a drawling
voice with a strong "down-East" accent asked me if I had made
them out and if I understood them, to which I replied in the
affirmative. He then slowly and carefully put on a huge pair
of spectacles and taking another short look at the papers,
turned to me and said. "Young man, your threes and your
fives, your sevens and your nines I can tell apart, which is of
great importance; but I have seen better writing."

[Mudslinger]

Re: Civil War Era Eyeglasses: By: John A. Braden

I just purchased an original pair of brass oval frames at an Ohio anitique store. They are in MINT condition, and I bought them for five dollars. I'll put pics up soon.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Civil War Era Eyeglasses: By: John A. Braden

Captain Came was an elderly man and
very peculiar... He then slowly and carefully put on a huge pair
of spectacles...[/SIZE][/FONT]

I suspect that the man being elderly, and the size of his spectacles, were not unconnected.

Some older spectacles from the 18th century were round rather than oval, and therefore look larger. For example: http://www.eyeglasseswarehouse.com/2159-18.html or http://www.eyeglasseswarehouse.com/2199-02.html or hover over images here: http://www.antiquespectacles.com/top...ses/cases.htm#

An old man, with round glasses that he'd worn most of his life, might indeed look quaint to someone used to seeing the newer oval lenses.

Second, glasses were expensive

What are you looking at for prices? Locally (rural Ohio), a store daybook sold them for 40 cents with case in 1860, and 40 cents and 50 cents in 1863. Comparatively speaking, that's less than most items of clothing, somewhere around half the price of a shirt.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Civil War Era Eyeglasses: By: John A. Braden

I suspect that the man being elderly, and the size of his spectacles, were not unconnected.

Some older spectacles from the 18th century were round rather than oval, and therefore look larger. For example: http://www.eyeglasseswarehouse.com/2159-18.html or http://www.eyeglasseswarehouse.com/2199-02.html or hover over images here: http://www.antiquespectacles.com/top...ses/cases.htm#

An old man, with round glasses that he'd worn most of his life, might indeed look quaint to someone used to seeing the newer oval lenses.


What are you looking at for prices? Locally (rural Ohio), a store daybook sold them for 40 cents with case in 1860, and 40 cents and 50 cents in 1863. Comparatively speaking, that's less than most items of clothing, somewhere around half the price of a shirt.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

I suspect you're right :) The second link you posted had dimensions of 1.5" in diameter, which isn't "huge" compared to my 1.25" by 1.5" ovals, but it might have seemed that way. And in doing a search on Google Books for "round spectacles" 1850-1870, it looked like the first twenty hits without exception associated round glasses (sometimes "great" or "huge") with old people. It seems almost as much a signifier as wrinkles or gray hair.

As far as prices, I'm glad you pointed out how affordable they were. What's interesting though, is that the prices today make them one relic that's sometimes cheaper now than it was then.

[Abrams]

Re: Civil War Era Eyeglasses: By: John A. Braden

I bought a pair of frames from the website Hank mentioned. http://www.eyeglasseswarehouse.com/index.html

They were indeed reasonable by today's standards, and Walmart was able to put my prescription in them for only a $25 special charge (in addition to my normal prescription fee) for the unusual shape and size. I have just over $100 in them, and that is mainly because of the lenses. I believe I paid about $30 for the frames themselves.

[David Fox]

Re: Civil War Era Eyeglasses: By: John A. Braden

Re: expense of eye glasses in 1860s. Are the prices quoted for frames and prescription lenses? I'm amazed one could have both for $.50.

[Pvt Schnapps]

Re: Civil War Era Eyeglasses: By: John A. Braden

Fifty cents could be a lot of money, depending on how you measure it. I favor using the unskilled wage to get relative costs, which would put a pair of reading glasses at around $70.

Check out: http://www.measuringworth.com/calcul...are/result.php

In 2008, $1.00 from 1863 is worth:

$17.69 using the Consumer Price Index
$14.40 using the GDP deflator
$141.40 using the unskilled wage
$209.02 using the nominal GDP per capita
$1,894.06 using the relative share of GDP

[Hank Trent]

Re: Civil War Era Eyeglasses: By: John A. Braden

Re: expense of eye glasses in 1860s. Are the prices quoted for frames and prescription lenses? I'm amazed one could have both for $.50.

That's all the description that's listed in the daybook, but common sense suggests they would include the lenses. They were sold at a general store in a small town, far from any optician. You can still buy ready-made reading glasses in any small-town drug store (I'm wearing a pair right now), and they run about $15-$20 today, which seems a reasonably comparative price, based on the CPI that Herr Schnapps quoted.

Wages were lower or goods were higher, depending on how you look at it, so it took longer for the average person to earn a pair of glasses in the 1860s than it would today, but it took longer to earn everything.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Bruleif]

Re: Civil War Era Eyeglasses: By: John A. Braden

Thanks for the great information. As a re-enactor who has to wear glasses to see anything, it's great to find this info. I wear bifocals. What are the chances that after I get the authentic-looking frames I will NOT be able to get the lenses that will fit inside them?

Thanks

Leif Johnson
Mesa, Arizona
Pvt. 71 PA Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Member, Friends of Gettysburg

[DougStrong]

Re: Civil War Era Eyeglasses: By: John A. Braden

This is my first post here and I really like what i have read while lurking. I finally decided to join. I do a slightly post civil war (ca. 1870) impression of an aged civil war vet still serving on the western fronteer if that matters to you all. Unfortunately I blind as a bat and cannot wear contacts. I have gone without in the past but my eyes are getting worse.


What is the prevailing opinion of those McAllisters? http://www.focusers.com/mcallister.html or the ones from Eyeglass Warehouse? http://www.eyeglasseswarehouse.com/pages/civilwar.html
Do other authenticity minded reenacters find them to be good? Do they look the part or are they too modern? I would prefer to own modern made frames if at all possible rather than altering an original.

I would greatly appreciate your feedback.

[mrbreeze]

Re: Civil War Era Eyeglasses: By: John A. Braden

Rob - I have just joined the 5th NHV and need to find some of the Period frames to get to my optomatrist. I printed your file but cannot make out the descriptions very well. Could you possibly (or someone) help by identifying the frames appropriate for 1861...with an X or something? Then I can go hunting the local antique shops feeling confident that I know what to look for.

Many Thanks