Featured Behold!! Tiny Opera Glasses!!

My research has led me to believe that these are not especially rare, but MY GOD THEY'RE CUTE!!

Gilt brass and clad in leather, these Liliputian opera glasses were made by Colmont of Paris.

They are marked with:

"COLMONT Ft PARIS"

"C" (inside a six-point Jewish star), presumably the company logo (like the Le Maire bumblebee).

"Parisette"
"-x-"



Compared with my other glasses, and it looks like Russian Nesting Binoculars!

 

I collected binoculars at one time, a similar. Must have about 6 or 8 pair.

 

I have seen glasses this small online, but never in person! When I saw them, I just had to have them.

Although I have to ask - why would any company make opera glasses this tiny? I mean they're amazingly cute, but I can't imagine they're that practical?

 

maybe the optics are very good.

 

For what they are, they ain't bad, but obviously, nothing like a full-size pair. I bought them mostly for the price, and the novelty aspect.

 

I've done a bit of research and found out that these are even smaller than usual miniature opera glasses.

It's led me to believe that these were made for *children*, which would make them even rarer...but I'm not sure.

From what I understand, this style of glasses was popular from about 1900-1920. They're very minimalist and sleek. No fancy curves or stuff, like the older Victorian ones.

 

The blue pair is gorgeous. Enamel guilloche?

 

Everyone loves the blue

Yes, Enamel guilloche. Ca. 1880-1890.

 

France? Germany? Where from?

 

Almost all of them were made in Paris.

I have one IRIS. Made in Paris. One Le Maire. Made in Paris. One Jockey Club de France (no guesses there), one Colmont, made in Paris...the blue Guillloche ones are almost certainly also made in Paris as well...I think without exception, they're all French.

 

They are darling! How wide are they actually? Do they adjust much? Along with a Lemaire pair, I have a munchkin size MOP, no doubt imitation MOP, pair by Traviata, made in Japan - vintage 1950s-1970s. They are hardly 3.5" across. For some reason my mother had them. I have no idea why she bought them for you need pliers to turn the adjustment knob/screw and then they hardly adjust for more than a 1/4". She had a perfectly good Lemaire pair and others. I suspect they fitted nicely into one of her very small evening bags. They are no where near being an antique and very impractical, but they are cute. Just noticed a pair of Traviata opera glasses just like mine on eBay at the moment. Looks like this is at least the 2nd auction for them.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Theatre-Opera-Glasses-Traviata-Mother-of-Pearl-in-Brocade-Case/131617318665?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid=222007&algo=SIC.MBE&ao=1&asc=34225&meid=d2516ec1a8b84e76856ac921316608c8&pid=100011&rk=1&rkt=10&sd=141704501116

Shangas, I wonder why you, me, and a couple of others were messaged privately about those supposedly Lemaire opera glasses with the stag mark and no bee mark? I can see why you were because you have posted opera glasses messages, but why me and the others? I suggested the OP post the query on an open forum for more help. Since I replied with my opinion suggesting they may be imitation Lemaire, they haven't replied - posted again.

--- Susan

 

Hi Susan,

She approached ME first, probably because, as you said, I had posted about this stuff in the past, but I'm hardly an expert on antique opera glasses. I just think they're neat.

I think she felt that since I'd posted about so many in the past, I must know something, but I'm not sure I do. Though I was flattered by the attention. I told her she would be more successful if she posted in the open forum, but I don't think she's done that yet.

Glasses measurements are as follow:

3 1/4 inches across.

1 1/4 inches high (closed).

1 7/16 inches high (open).

As you can see, they are massive. I had to get a truck to bring them home.

 

How would one go about determining if for children or not? By measuring between the two eyepieces maybe?

 

I was researching miniature opera glasses online, and one pair popped up which they listed as being for children. The measurements match my opera glasses almost exactly, so I figured these *might* be for kids. Of course there's no way to prove that, but it's an interesting theory.

I can use them perfectly fine. The eyepieces line up exactly on my eyes.

 

??? was it popular to take children to the opera , back when those were made ???

 

I have no idea. I doubt kids liked opera anymore 100 years ago, than they do today. But that said, I could imagine parents taking their kids out to see a nice musical comedy or a good plot-driven play 100 years ago, much like how parents take their kids to the cinema today.

Instead of 'Pirates of the Caribbean', it would've been 'The Pirates of Penzance'!

Here's a few shots, showing just how amazingly small these things are:



The binoculars on the extreme left are what I'd term binoculars rather than opera glasses. Conventionally-sized opera glasses are what I'd call the next three along. The next two are probably sized for women or something. But as you can see, the last pair, my tiny teeny ones on the end, are minuscule, even when compared to the set standing next to them.