Willson Goggles and the Rise and Fall of American Industry.
Amber lensed motoring goggles made by Willson in Reading Pennsylvania.
There’s something about old style protective eyewear that projects a grander air of adventure than the current stuff. Who cares about effectiveness? It’s kind of like comparing the look of a leather reefer coat and breeches to one of the current armored motorcycle suits which, with sponsorship patches and bright colors, sort of resemble clown suits
Old style motorcycle clothing, even in the WWI era, projected a strength that could easily jump the rails into menace. Bolshevik leader Yakov Sverdlov understood this. He wore leather from head to toe and his Chekist underlings followed suit (so to speak). Clothing resembling old style motoring/motorcycling garb became standard issue for scary secret police during the interwar years.
But I digress…
These sunglasses are made for use with open motorcars, motorcycles and airplanes. You can tell they’re not simply safety glasses by the amber lens, which was intended to cut haze when viewing objects at a distance. As the case and paperwork indicates they were made by Willson.
Willson motoring glasses. Similar design to the safety glasses, different colored lens.
Thomas A. Willson was the World’s preeminent maker of safety eyewear in the early 20th Century. Gile J. Willson and his son Dr. Thomas A. Willson founded the company in 1871 to manufacture optical glass. As American industry burgeoned the company began making safety eyewear. Eventually the company produced a wide variety of products ranging from oxygen masks to fashion sunglasses.
Starting in the 1950s the company began changing hands. Ray-O-Vac bought it in 1956. A year later Electric Storage Battery Co. became the owner. Eventually they stopped making safety eyewear and began sourcing it overseas.
Christian Dalloz SA took Willson over in 1989 and changed the company name to Dalloz Safety in 1997. The Willson factory in Reading Pa. closed for good in May 2002.
The building is now a community arts and cultural resource center.
If you’re ever in Reading stop by and pay your respects.
And please subscribe to this blog.
Now we’re getting somewhere…… Where? The past !
I have a pair in a full green tin that say style Z1W patented March 26, 1912
July 27, 1915
May 14, 1918
How can one tell the age of an old pair of Willson goggles? Cant find info on that. Mine from grandfather are in a green tin case. If anyone knows, thanks for answering:)
Depends on what they look like. If they’re wire and not too big with oval lenses they’re probably turn of the 20th Century. If they have round lenses and are made of wire or celluloid, they’re from the 1930s or earlier. If they’re made of acetate or have hinges at the upper corners of the eyewire, they’re more recent.
I have a pair of Wilson goggles that come in a green tin case and has a leather nose bridge, can’t find any thing on them. Aldo has leather sides and the len is round in shape. Any idea on the age. Thanks
Hard to say without seeing them. If they’re soft leather sides, and there’s a flexible single bridge, and the temples are flexible wire, I’d guess they’re probably from the 1920s, give or take 5 years. See if the trade name “Alfex” is embossed on the leather sides. Those were generally driving glasses.
If there’s a stiff, or double bridge, especially if it’s leather covered, they’re more probably industrial, and would be slightly more recent – still most likely pre-WWII
I’ve just inherited a pair of safety glasses from my father who used to work in the gold mines of northern Ontario, Canada.They’re quite large, round and heavy lenses with WILLSON B stamped into the bridge. The glass itself is etched with a stylized ‘W’. i’m wondering about what age they might be?
Probably first half of the 20th Century. Without seeing them, obviously hard to be precise, but this type was produced from around the mid to late teens to after WWII.
where can I send a picture of willson goggles to try and determine their age.The bridge and area around the eyes are leather with black metal guards and an elastic strap. any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Fred
Are the temples metal and short with flat loops for the elastic strap?
Hi,
Does Moss Lipow have an email address where I can contact him?
Thanks
Fred
I’ll see if I can reach out to him.
I have round glasses with light gray or green tint, frame is black celluloid, I believe. The hinges attach exactly halfway down the eyes. Can you tell when they were made, and what for? Thank you!
Those were probably produced from the 1910s to 1930s. The big boom for those type of sunglasses came in the 1920s. The pantoscopic hinge, which was mounted at the top outside corners of the lens, proliferated in the 1930, and celluloid – highly flammable – was replaced by cellulose acetate in the 1930s. That narrows down the date.
Most likely they were produced as general sunglasses.
I have a pair of Willson Goggles Style LJ31 1/2 that enclose with a army green metal case.
From some research I found a LJ 31 1/2 goggles set in a paper box. Does the metal case indicate my goggle come from military motorcycle used?
There were motorcycle corps in various countries’ armies from WWI onward. I can’t speak to the gear they were issued.
I have just found a pair of Willsons- round, clear frames; double nose bridge (upper one says “made in USA” w/ “Willson” underneath); mesh side protectors that hinge; and the long wrap-around-the-ear arms that hinge to the front or back of the glasses. Any guess on year and/or value?
Not sure when they started using the double bridge, but I’d guess about 1915 to 1930s.
i have an original willson folding safety eyeglass. green , size 6 3/4 still in perfect condition . i am so very happy to have one… the look is so cool this present days. i think my son Aron by the time he’s in his teen age.. would be very proud to use this. cheers
Yeah, lots of fashion eyewear has done variants on the safety glasses theme; from Gaultier in the 1990s, to Matsuda then and now, and Thom Browne. It’s a good look.
I have tin my dad used to store fishing weights in.
Anybody interested in buying?
Maybe, but no marketplace function on this blog at the moment.
Is Willson the same as “Wilsonart” or “Wilson Art” that made aviator sunglasses during World War II? My father mentions “Wilsonart polaroid sunglasses” in one of his WWII letters [http://www.electricearl.com/gow/19440905.html], but I’ve never been able to track this down. Perhaps because he spelled Wilson/Willson wrong? There is no connection with the modern day Wilsonart company, which makes laminated materials for use in furniture, and not founded until 1956.)
Probably meant Willson. As suggested in the post, they were a large company with various branded products with Willson incorporated in the name. Willsonite comes to mind. Perhaps he meant that?
I have a pair of Wilson goggles that has a leather nose bridge. Also has leather sides with little holes and the len is round in shape. The glasses itself is etched with a stylized ‘WW7’. Any idea on the meaning? Thanks!
I believe it was a code for the sort of lens used. Been a little while since I’ve delved into this. If I get a chance I’ll update with an answer.
I was wondering what these googles are worth. I have pair of Willson googles. Style N86. Round lens and metal and metal guards. And metal box with original paper in side
Hard to say. There’s a market. If sold properly, perhaps a few hundred dollars.
Where do you find a pair of these glasses?
eBay comes to mind.
Did Willson make motorcycle goggles?
They were a gigantic company that made many kinds of protective eyewear.