Featured OH NO!! More Opera Glasses! :o

These opera glasses sat in my local antiques shop for YEARS and YEARS and YEARS and YEARS and YEARS and YEARS.

From the very first day I went in there, ages ago, until today, they sat behind a case with a massive price-tag on them. I lusted after them for ages.

After getting a windfall of cash from Chinese New Year, I ummed-and-aahed over these glasses for ages, and today, I managed to haggle the shopkeeper down a fairly decent discount, and purchased them.



They were manufactured by London optician J.H. Steward (James Henry Steward).

J.H. Steward operated a shop selling telescopes, field glasses, opera glasses, watches, clocks and jewelry, from at least four locations (three on The Strand, one on Cornhill), between about 1861-1891. Examining the addresses on the eyepieces, I think these were manufactured during the height of Mr. Steward's career (at which time he also held a warrant as supplier to the royal household, and the army).

This would place them at around 1865-1870, according to my researches.

This would officially make them the oldest pair of opera glasses that I have.

You may notice that they are triple-focus glasses. They have settings for MARINE (lowest power), FIELD (medium power), and THEATRE (strongest magnification) on a swiveling barbell arrangement, operated by the little toggle-wheel on the right-hand side of the frame.

One of the lenses is suffering quite badly from lens separation. I intend to take these to a camera-repairshop in town and see if they can fix them for a decent price.

 

Ah. Glad you got them.

 

I have never gotten any cash for Chinese New Year. What am I doing wrong?

 

Yes, I wondered too....
Pick pocketing at the parade???

 

Hi,
The Chinese try to pay off all of their debt on New Years. So if Shangas loaned anyone money during the year they probably paid him back for good luck in the New Year. When I worked in Manhattan the hospital was next to Chinatown. They always had lots of money after Chinese new year.
greg

 

I need to expand my horizons...

 

I thought Chinese new year was kinda like Christmas for Chinese kids , lots of free cash . Those are very nice Shangas , I love your passion for them .

 

It's Chinese tradition for children and unmarrieds to be given money on Chinese New Year, and during weddings, in red envelopes, to wish them good luck and prosperity for the year ahead.

Well. My brother had his wedding ON Chinese New Year. And we had dozens of uncles and aunts coming to visit. So I was getting a red envelope about once every two hours over the course of four days. By the time it was over, I had about $500-$600 in cash. And I'd been holding onto it for about two months, looking for something to spend it on.

I initially thought of buying a silver pocketwatch, but after seeing HOW EXPENSIVE THEY ARE (help!), I decided to spend it on the glasses instead.

I've rung up the camera shop and they're cautiously optimistic, so I'm bringing them down this afternoon after I've finished my stuff in the city.

 

Well, they took one look at 'em and said they couldn't fix it and that it couldn't be fixed. I'm gonna try a second shop and if they can't do it, then I'll search for broken binoculars and scavenge them for their lenses.