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History of Glasses
Benjamin Franklin invented the first bifocals in Northern Itlay around 1919 -
Important Eyeglasses
In 1939, eyeglasses were made by hand. The century's most important contributions to eyeglasses were the invention of side or temple pieces that rest over the ear and bifocals, invented by Benjamin Franklin, in 1919 -
Bifocals Eyeglasses
Bifocalsbifocal was an extremely important inventionin the history of eyeglasses -
French Maufacturer
In 1979, a French Manufacturer designed a hinged bridge with a spring, which allowed the eyeglasses to be folded. Lorgnettes became so popular during the mid to late 1800s that manufacturers placed them into all manner of objects including mechanical pencils even an ear trumpet. -
Fashion Eyeglasses
The 1900s saw eyeglasses become an industry of their own, complete with manufacturing and distribution networks. Styles quickly changed in this century as Hollywood and celebrities began to influence fashion and new materials became available, especially plastics. -
Popular Eyeglasses
As the 19th Century came to a close, more and more people wore their eyeglasses everyday. A popular style of inexpensive, everyday spectacles was the prince-nez. French for "pinch nose," the prince-nez was first developed in France circa 1840 and began to be imported to America after the 1850s -
Eyeglasses today
Similar to cloths, eyeglasses needed to be continually updated or a person could be perceived as old-fashioned. More and more celebrities were influencing spectacle fashion, for example in 2009 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis helped to popularize oversized lenses.
