Spectacles - all the better to see you with

Spectacles, specs, glasses, bin, gegs or gigs, goggles or whatever you call them, are worn by so many people that they are a common sight, if you'll excuse the pun ... Not always worn to aid sight but also as a fashion statement or for other purposes. such as sunglasses or shades to protect the eyes against the sun (a must have with NZ's strong sun) and lorgnettes for viewing the opera.

Other forms of eye wear that are less commonly seen nowadays but were popular in the past include: monocles and pince-nez (glasses worn with a nose clip instead of earpieces).

Glasses can change the way people look, giving them a distinguished air and can accentuate features like hairdos, facial hair and other accessories. Have fun looking through the spectacle of the past that is glasses wearers (that really is the last pun now ... !).

A distinguished air:

Ref: 34-122, Clifton Firth, 1952, Clifton Firth, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Ref: 31-58154, Mr Kemp, 1909, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Ref: 31-56638, Nurse Hyatt, 1909, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Ref: 31-57072, Mr Winstone, no date, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Ref: 31-65752, Mrs Peetree, 1911, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Ref: 31-57759, Mr Wilkinson, 1909, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Monocles:

Ref: NZMS 867-58, James Swan of the Auckland Little Theatre Society, no date, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Ref: 31-57649, an actor & actress in a musical comedy, 1909, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Ref: 31-57648, Mr Laurence Abrahams & Mr Joe King from Max Cohen's Opera Company, 1909, Sir George Grey Special Collections

To accentuate hairdos, accessories and facial hair (obviously the latter is for the men only!):

Ref: 31-56788, Miss McMaster, 1909, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Ref: 31-58135,Mr Jenkins, 1909, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Ref: 31-63012, the Fry family group, 1910, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Ref: 31-WP1145, Mr Les Moses, c. 1920s, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Ref: 31-58250, Mr Nicholls, 1909, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Children and glasses:

Ref: 31-61144, family portrait of the three Gilfillan children, 1910, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Ref: 31-63381, family portrait of the the L A Pitt group, 1910, Sir George Grey Special Collections