Wayfarer Helvetica bold spectacles in case
Maker
Coles & Garrard PTY. LTD (estab. 1922, closed 1988)
Date
Circa 1950s
Description
Dark brown helvetica bold spectacles with plastic arms in black colour case.
Wayfarers were a specific type of horn rimmed glasses introduced in 1952 by glasses manufacturer Bausch and Lomb, which branded their glasses as Ray-Ban. Wayfarers used the same thick frames as horn rimmed glasses, and extended the top corner of the frames with a trapezoidal shape with a metal rivet where the temples connect to the frame.
The original 1952 frames were available in black and were popular for men. Bausch and Lomb had been known for the glasses designs for the military during the war, and carried that reputation with them for the new wayfarers.
Many men wore Ray-Ban Wayfarers and the other brands that copied the style.
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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