Who Invented Aviator Sunglasses?
There are claims bouncing around the interwebs that certain companies invented aviator style sunglasses. Then again there are claims bouncing around the interwebs about who invented the interwebs. Someone needs to get to the bottom of this.
So (as Gary Gilmore once said) let’s do it.
Since the birth and development of aviator sunglasses is an epic story, this will be a multi-post series.
After spending much time collecting many pieces, with special focus on 19th Century safety and special purpose eyewear, I believe this to be the ancestor of all modern aviator sunglasses, what Adam and/or Lucy are to humanity: a sort of ur-aviator if you will:
Catalogue image of ur-aviator sunglasses, circa 1896.
Here’s another drawing from a contemporary advertisement:
Very Vintage Ur-Aviator Sunglasses. Advertisement Circa 1896.
Note that it’s recommended by oculists. Further note that it’s got lenses made of mica (!).
And finally an actual example, with case, from my own collection:
Pre-Aviator Sunglasses with Original Case, circa 1895 – Photo by Moss Lipow
Were Victorian bicyclists really going so fast that this was necessary, or was the inventor a futurist who foresaw the proliferation of faster and faster motorcars and manned flight?
I don’t know but pay close attention to the hinge in the middle. We will see it again as we continue our voyage.
Click below for:
Finally a blog that I will actually read!
I have come across an early pair of hinged glasses very similar to the USAF you have highlighted in another post – but I believe these ones date back to the 1910s, used in WW1 by 1st Canadian Corps Signals – which was the engineer faction dealing with communication and wireless over land/air/sea. I have the case with inscription. I’d love to know what you think of this pair!
Thank you for sharing all your research.
I’d love to see them. I’m familiar with U.S. gear, but not so much with Canadian. Any way you could link to an image of them?