Folding opera glasses with velvet carrying pouch
Opera Glasses
ca.1905 (manufactured)
ca.1905 (manufactured)
| Artist/Maker |
The use of monocular opera glasses in the theatre goes back to the 1730s but it was not until 1823 that the first binocular opera glasses were invented in Vienna, built of two cylinders connected with a bridge with each eye-tube extended independently for focusing. Two years later in Paris, Pierre Lemière improved on these, creating the centre focus wheel that allowed the focusing of both eyes together.
These opera glasses were made by Dolland, the London firm founded in Spitalfields by John Dolland in the 1750s when he started making scientific instuments. The company continued in family hands, by the mid-1800s being known as the most prestigious optical instrument makers in London, winning a medal for excellence at London's Great Exhibition in 1851.
These opera glasses with their original velvet and silk carrying pouch are probably Edwardian, certainly dating from before 1927 when Dolland merged with Aitchison and Company.
These opera glasses were made by Dolland, the London firm founded in Spitalfields by John Dolland in the 1750s when he started making scientific instuments. The company continued in family hands, by the mid-1800s being known as the most prestigious optical instrument makers in London, winning a medal for excellence at London's Great Exhibition in 1851.
These opera glasses with their original velvet and silk carrying pouch are probably Edwardian, certainly dating from before 1927 when Dolland merged with Aitchison and Company.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Title | Folding opera glasses with velvet carrying pouch (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | Folding opera glasses with drawstring carrying pouch. Mother of pearl, brass and glass glasses with velvet pouch, made by Dolland, London, ca.1905 |
| Physical description | S.1075:1-2021 Brass opera glasses with mother of pearl body and folding handle, the focus cups bearing the name of the maker S.1075:2-2021 Red silk bag with silk lining and drawstring closure |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Bequeathed by Peter Parker |
| Object history | These opera glasses were probably inherited by Peter Parker, who bequeathed them to the museum, from his father Stanley Parker who was employed by the Savoy Hotel as a junior clerk in May 1909, straight from school. From that job, on the death of Helen D'Oyly Carte in 1913, he was chosen by Rupert D'Oyly Carte to understudy Mr George A. Richardson who managed the theatre from November 1911 to February 1915. In 1913 Stanley Parker became Rupert D'Oyly Carte's private scretary, and later Bridget D'Oyly Carte's private secretary, also secretary of both the Savoy Theatre Ltd., and the Opera Company |
| Summary | The use of monocular opera glasses in the theatre goes back to the 1730s but it was not until 1823 that the first binocular opera glasses were invented in Vienna, built of two cylinders connected with a bridge with each eye-tube extended independently for focusing. Two years later in Paris, Pierre Lemière improved on these, creating the centre focus wheel that allowed the focusing of both eyes together. These opera glasses were made by Dolland, the London firm founded in Spitalfields by John Dolland in the 1750s when he started making scientific instuments. The company continued in family hands, by the mid-1800s being known as the most prestigious optical instrument makers in London, winning a medal for excellence at London's Great Exhibition in 1851. These opera glasses with their original velvet and silk carrying pouch are probably Edwardian, certainly dating from before 1927 when Dolland merged with Aitchison and Company. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.1075:1 to 2:-2021 |
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| Record created | September 6, 2021 |
| Record URL |
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