Vtg or antique bifocals maker mark question

Hi all, new to the board & hoping someone can help. I found what looked to be a great link on an old post here for a site called antique spectacles, but it appears to no longer exist. Bummer!

I have a pair of older bifocals in the original case, one nose pad is marked 14KT pads and also has a logo of an A inside a circle with a larger C around that. The positioning and size of the logo makes it nearly impossible to get a good shot of that, unfortunately. I will include pics of the glasses.

Would love to know if anyone can tell me the brand or something else that the marking may signify, as well as approximate age. Thank you in advance for any assistance!

 

Hi, Ashley. Maybe you could make a drawing of the mark & show us that?

 

Something along the lines of this - apologies for my crude-at-best graphic design skills (or lack thereof)...

 

Way better than I could do, believe me. I can't enlighten you, I'm afraid, but the graphic makes it easier to study. Not that it's my field, but have never seen spectacles constructed quite like this. The earpieces almost look home made.

 

Interesting - I saw another pair somewhere along the way when I first went down the Google Image etc rabbithole with similar looped ends on the earpieces, may have been for sale on ebay? I just assumed it was an early 20th century style. My knowledge of old eyeglasses is rather minimal, unfortunately.

I was able to find a record of the optometrist whose name is on the case, he is dated as living approx. 1890-1960, which led me to believe that these would have been early 20th (should that help at all!).

 

Is the case quite fitted to this pair? Or is it possible they did not originally go together? Just checking whether the optometrist's dates are a good indicator of the age of the glasses. Suspect you will get asked to show the case as well. We like to know everything you already know as a starting point.

 

They seem to fit pretty snugly in the case -

 

It has Kryptok lenses which have been around since the early 1900's and still sold today. Where on the frame is the maker's mark?

 

It is on the right nose pad next to the 14K mark.

 

Nose pads are like jewelry findings,they are supplied by other companies and usually are not the maker of the frames.Maker's marks on frames can be stamped on the bridge.

 

No other markings I could see, and I did go over the whole of the glasses with a pretty good magnifier.

 

AOC...American Optical Company?

 

Definitely too good to melt. If they fit I'd put my prescription in them. Or sell to the next guy/gal who wants legit potter spex, only better.

 

Winner, winner. Thanks so much, I did find a link and that is definitely the logo! It looks like this trademark was used by the company from 1889 until 1911 so that helps quite a bit with dating, as well!

 

I plan to sell, but likely not to someone who is looking for melt value - I agree that they are way too cool looking! Not exactly my style (and thankfully despite horrendous eyesight I have not *yet* graduated to needing bifocals), but on the right person these would definitely look great.

 

Thanks to everyone who chimed in for all of the help, I really appreciate it. Very glad to have found such a great resource!