Cats-eye Harlequin spectacles with embellishments in the corners, in polka dot case
Maker
G.B Cutter & D.H. Gardiner Optometrists
Date
Circa 1960s
Description
The cat eye style was introduced in the1930s, but reached the height of women’s fashion only in the 1950s. After their invention in the 1930s, cat eye glasses were becoming more prevalent. They were also known as Harlequin glasses and had thick frames with embellishments in the corners.
The 1950s was a time of shifting fashions for both men and women. With WWII firmly in the past, as well as the design stagnation caused by the Great Depression now long since over, styles were changing. Eyeglasses and sunglasses became an accessory rather than a utilitarian item people dreaded wearing, and the shape and designs of these 50s glasses themselves changed dramatically in this era.
In addition to changing tastes, changing materials also made the new looks of 1950s glasses possible. Plastics created during wartime were now available to manufacturers of consumer products. Suddenly, there was an opportunity to create glasses frames in bright colours and unique shapes that were inexpensive to produce. They were also more comfortable to wear than glasses of the past since plastic is lightweight, temples curved gently around the ear, and comfortable nose pads were now standard.
From a collection of glasses formerly worn by Mrs M. Hassett (1891-1983) and her husband. The Glasses were worn from the early 1900s until 1983. They were originally obtained form optometrists in Warrnambool, Geelong, Ballarat and Melbourne, the most noted being Thomas Gaunt & Co. (Melbourne, Australia), late 19th century manufacturer and retailer of jewellery, clocks, watches and decorative items.
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