RIP
Glasses
1967 (made)
1967 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The eyewear firm Oliver Goldsmith created this glasses frame in 1966. 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 transforming glasses from a medical necessity to a fashion item. From the company’s 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. Key clients included Lord Snowdon, the actor Diana Dors, Princess Grace of Monaco and Diana, Princess of Wales.
By the mid-1960s A. Oliver Goldsmith had started to design for the company. This was his first frame design. Not long after it was placed in the company showroom, Lord Snowdon purchased a pair. It remained a consistent top seller for many years. The style was available in a rainbow of colours, but imitation tortoiseshell was the most popular.
By the mid-1960s A. Oliver Goldsmith had started to design for the company. This was his first frame design. Not long after it was placed in the company showroom, Lord Snowdon purchased a pair. It remained a consistent top seller for many years. The style was available in a rainbow of colours, but imitation tortoiseshell was the most popular.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | RIP (manufacturer's title) |
| Materials and techniques | Acetate |
| Brief description | Acetate framed glasses 'RIP' with rounded rectangular eye shapes, made by Oliver Goldsmith Eyewear, Great Britain, 1967 |
| Physical description | Dark tortoishell effect acetate framed glasses with rounded rectangular eye shapes and thick sides. |
| Dimensions |
|
| 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 | The eyewear firm Oliver Goldsmith created this glasses frame in 1966. 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 transforming glasses from a medical necessity to a fashion item. From the company’s 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. Key clients included Lord Snowdon, the actor Diana Dors, Princess Grace of Monaco and Diana, Princess of Wales. By the mid-1960s A. Oliver Goldsmith had started to design for the company. This was his first frame design. Not long after it was placed in the company showroom, Lord Snowdon purchased a pair. It remained a consistent top seller for many years. The style was available in a rainbow of colours, but imitation tortoiseshell was the most popular. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.245G-1990 |
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| Record created | December 12, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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