Murphy
Glasses
1982 (made)
1982 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Philip Oliver Goldsmith, a salesman for a small optical firm, founded the Oliver Goldsmith eyewear company in London in 1926. In 1935 his son Charles Goldsmith 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 actress Diana Dors, Princess Grace of Monaco.
A. Oliver Goldsmith created this glasses frame in 1982. It remained a key style for the company for a number of years. Mr Goldsmith himself wore this frame. He designed it at the same time as another similar style, called 'Kelly'.
A. Oliver Goldsmith created this glasses frame in 1982. It remained a key style for the company for a number of years. Mr Goldsmith himself wore this frame. He designed it at the same time as another similar style, called 'Kelly'.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Murphy (manufacturer's title) |
| Materials and techniques | Plastic |
| Brief description | Plastic glasses 'Murphy' with off-centre round frames, made by Oliver Goldsmith Eyewear, Great Britain, 1982 |
| Physical description | Red plastic glasses with off-centre round frames. |
| Dimensions |
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| 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 the Oliver Goldsmith eyewear company in London in 1926. In 1935 his son Charles Goldsmith 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 actress Diana Dors, Princess Grace of Monaco. A. Oliver Goldsmith created this glasses frame in 1982. It remained a key style for the company for a number of years. Mr Goldsmith himself wore this frame. He designed it at the same time as another similar style, called 'Kelly'. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.245U-1990 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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