Casper
Glasses
1972 (made)
1972 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Philip Oliver Goldsmith, a salesman for a small optical firm, founded Oliver Goldsmith in London in 1926. In 1935 his son Charles entered the firm with the aim of making glasses 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.
A. Oliver Goldsmith designed this frame, titled 'Casper', in 1972 at a time when materials were still was cut and shaped by hand in the company workshop. The frame’s rounded eyes and exaggerated keyhole shape under the nose bridge reference the glasses worn by the 1920s film comedian Harold Lloyd.
A. Oliver Goldsmith designed this frame, titled 'Casper', in 1972 at a time when materials were still was cut and shaped by hand in the company workshop. The frame’s rounded eyes and exaggerated keyhole shape under the nose bridge reference the glasses worn by the 1920s film comedian Harold Lloyd.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Casper (manufacturer's title) |
| Materials and techniques | Acetate |
| Brief description | Acetate glasses 'Casper' with a round eye shape, made by Oliver Goldsmith Eyewear, Great Britain, 1972 |
| Physical description | Acetate glasses with a round eye shape and with a tortoiseshell finish. |
| 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 | Philip Oliver Goldsmith, a salesman for a small optical firm, founded Oliver Goldsmith in London in 1926. In 1935 his son Charles entered the firm with the aim of making glasses 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. A. Oliver Goldsmith designed this frame, titled 'Casper', in 1972 at a time when materials were still was cut and shaped by hand in the company workshop. The frame’s rounded eyes and exaggerated keyhole shape under the nose bridge reference the glasses worn by the 1920s film comedian Harold Lloyd. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.245J-1990 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSON
