Optical opulence: 500 years of spectacles ranging from classic to outrageous

For over two decades eyewear designer Moss Lipow trawled eBay, auction houses, garage sales, and flea markets worldwide, amassing glasses and photographs for his renowned collection. This book traces eyewear’s journey over the past 500 years, and features the finest examples from Lipow’s collection as well as pieces from preeminent collections around the world. There is a wealth of examples included herein—from a rudimentary bone sunshield and curious contraptions of leather and wood to lorgnettes, pince-nez, monocles, aviators, and bedazzled cat eyes. Eyewear has experienced a surprising and fascinating evolution; what was once a purely practical apparatus has grown into a multibillion-dollar global industry catering to both the visually impaired and the fashionably inclined.

Accompanying the wealth of images in this wide-ranging volume is an insightful history informed by a wide variety of sources, including ancient texts, old catalogues, vintage magazines, and out-of-print publications of every kind.

• Over 1,000 examples of the most extravagant glasses
• Covering almost 500 years of design