Spectacle Case and Spectacles
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| Place of origin |
This spectacle case may have belonged to James II, although the folding spectacles most certainly were made several decades after his death in exile in 1701. The painted mother-of-pearl case is of the very highest quality - certainly fit for a king's use - and was probably made in France. Folding spectacles are mentioned in the advertisement of a French maker in 1745. They are described as 'in the English style'. It is likely that folding spectacles had been made for a decade or so before 1745, but there is no evidence that they were made during the lifetime of James II.
A letter that accompanied the spectacles, written at the end of the 18th century, describes in detail how the case passed by gift from James's son, the Old Pretender, through several hands, until it came into the possession of a Mr Walker in 1770. By that time it must have been revered as a Jacobite relic by those who favoured the Stuart claim to the English throne.
A letter that accompanied the spectacles, written at the end of the 18th century, describes in detail how the case passed by gift from James's son, the Old Pretender, through several hands, until it came into the possession of a Mr Walker in 1770. By that time it must have been revered as a Jacobite relic by those who favoured the Stuart claim to the English throne.
Object details
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| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 3 parts.
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| Brief description | Spectacle case of painted and gilded mother-of-pearl, ca. 1685-1688, containing a later pair of tortoise-shell and silver folding spectacles of 1700-1725, probably made in France |
| Physical description | Spectacle case of painted and gilded mother-of-pearl, containing a later pair of folding spectacles, of tortoise-shell and silver |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label |
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| Object history | Spectacles in Case, purchased for £125 on 17 December 1969 from R M Pigot Esq, Pantiles, Great Hautbois, Norwich. RF 69/3498 |
| Production | The case may date from as early as ca. 1685 but the folding spectacles are unlikely to be any earlier than 1735-40 |
| Summary | This spectacle case may have belonged to James II, although the folding spectacles most certainly were made several decades after his death in exile in 1701. The painted mother-of-pearl case is of the very highest quality - certainly fit for a king's use - and was probably made in France. Folding spectacles are mentioned in the advertisement of a French maker in 1745. They are described as 'in the English style'. It is likely that folding spectacles had been made for a decade or so before 1745, but there is no evidence that they were made during the lifetime of James II. A letter that accompanied the spectacles, written at the end of the 18th century, describes in detail how the case passed by gift from James's son, the Old Pretender, through several hands, until it came into the possession of a Mr Walker in 1770. By that time it must have been revered as a Jacobite relic by those who favoured the Stuart claim to the English throne. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.5 to B-1970 |
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| Record created | January 24, 2001 |
| Record URL |
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