Spectacles
1980 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Elton John is one of popular music's most famed wearer of spectacles. Having started his career performing in pubs from the age of 15, he worked his way up the music industry ladder by playing in bands with his friends, eventually becoming a staff songwriter for DJM Records. On gaining a record contract in 1970, at the age of 23, his live performance became bigger and more flamboyant. Backed by a large catalogue of ballads and piano rock, his scintillating stage shows involved him performing in wild costumes, for which he commissioned bespoke spectacles to match.
This pair, featuring blue-tinted prescription lenses incorporate a semi-quaver musical notation shape into their gold plastic frames, emphasising John's love of music.
This pair, featuring blue-tinted prescription lenses incorporate a semi-quaver musical notation shape into their gold plastic frames, emphasising John's love of music.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
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| Materials and techniques | Plastic, metal and diamanté |
| Brief description | Spectacles worn by Elton John on 1981/2 British and World tours, French, about 1980. Semi-quaver frames with diamante strips. |
| Physical description | Light gold plastic frames incorporating Semi-quaver shape. Decorated with coloured diamanté studs. Blue-tinted plastic prescription lenses |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | FRAME FRANCE (On inside of right arm) |
| Credit line | Given by Elton John |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Elton John is one of popular music's most famed wearer of spectacles. Having started his career performing in pubs from the age of 15, he worked his way up the music industry ladder by playing in bands with his friends, eventually becoming a staff songwriter for DJM Records. On gaining a record contract in 1970, at the age of 23, his live performance became bigger and more flamboyant. Backed by a large catalogue of ballads and piano rock, his scintillating stage shows involved him performing in wild costumes, for which he commissioned bespoke spectacles to match. This pair, featuring blue-tinted prescription lenses incorporate a semi-quaver musical notation shape into their gold plastic frames, emphasising John's love of music. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.532:1, 2-1989 |
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| Record created | January 22, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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