Space Age
Sunglasses
1968 (made)
1968 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Philip Oliver Goldsmith, a salesman for a small optical firm, founded his eyewear company in London in 1926. In 1935 his son Charles Goldsmith entered the firm with the aim of making eyeglasses a fashion item. From the company’s London offices in Poland Street, his sons A. Oliver and Ray Goldsmith built upon the company’s reputation for attention-grabbing designs and solicited celebrity endorsement for their products. Important clients included Lord Snowdon, the actor Diana Dors, Princess Grace of Monaco and Diana, Princess of Wales.
A. Oliver Goldsmith created this frame design in 1968. Named ‘Space Age’ after the film ‘2001: a Space Odyssey’, the frame’s futuristic, somewhat impractical design suggests a protective shield more than functional eyewear. The frames are made from particularly thick plastic and the sides are oversized. While the resulting design is distinctive, it was challenging to make at a time when such frames were crafted by hand. This design attracted considerable press attention, though it was not a top seller.
A. Oliver Goldsmith created this frame design in 1968. Named ‘Space Age’ after the film ‘2001: a Space Odyssey’, the frame’s futuristic, somewhat impractical design suggests a protective shield more than functional eyewear. The frames are made from particularly thick plastic and the sides are oversized. While the resulting design is distinctive, it was challenging to make at a time when such frames were crafted by hand. This design attracted considerable press attention, though it was not a top seller.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Space Age (manufacturer's title) |
| Materials and techniques | Plastic |
| Brief description | Wrap-around sunglasses 'Space Age' plastic frames with holes drilled through the eyes, made by Oliver Goldsmith Eyewear, Great Britain, 1968 |
| Physical description | White wrap-around sunglasses made from thick plastic with small holes drilled through over the eyes in the shape of a cross. The sides are double jointed. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Production type | Limited edition |
| Credit line | Given by A. Oliver Goldsmith, in memory of his father, Charles Oliver Goldsmith |
| Object history | Registered File number 1990/200. These glasses form part of a design archive of the British eyewear company Oliver Goldsmith. The archive, which consists of approximately 70 glasses frames from the 1930s to the late 1980s, was donated by A. Oliver Goldsmith, grandson of the founder, and former chief designer at the firm. A. Oliver Goldsmith donated the material to the V & A in memory of his father Charles Goldsmith. |
| Summary | Philip Oliver Goldsmith, a salesman for a small optical firm, founded his eyewear company in London in 1926. In 1935 his son Charles Goldsmith entered the firm with the aim of making eyeglasses a fashion item. From the company’s London offices in Poland Street, his sons A. Oliver and Ray Goldsmith built upon the company’s reputation for attention-grabbing designs and solicited celebrity endorsement for their products. Important clients included Lord Snowdon, the actor Diana Dors, Princess Grace of Monaco and Diana, Princess of Wales. A. Oliver Goldsmith created this frame design in 1968. Named ‘Space Age’ after the film ‘2001: a Space Odyssey’, the frame’s futuristic, somewhat impractical design suggests a protective shield more than functional eyewear. The frames are made from particularly thick plastic and the sides are oversized. While the resulting design is distinctive, it was challenging to make at a time when such frames were crafted by hand. This design attracted considerable press attention, though it was not a top seller. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.244H-1990 |
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| Record created | November 26, 2008 |
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