Vintage Sunglasses

[Isis]

I have a pair of 1940's sunglasses that has belonged to my grandmother. I love them, but the glass makes them very heavy and a bit uncomfortable to wear for long periods.

 

[Gene]

My favorite pair. Amazing vintage. $5 at a flea market. PERFECT. Looked for years for such sunglasses. CRUSHED over the weekend.

I have a track record of breaking nearly every pair of sunglasses I have ever owned, so I usually keep the good ones for certain occasions and just wear cheapies the rest of the time.

 

[Talbot]

I have a pair of 1940's sunglasses that has belonged to my grandmother. I love them, but the glass makes them very heavy and a bit uncomfortable to wear for long periods.

They look terrific on you!

 

[Tomasso]

They look terrific on you!

They do. And you will get used to the weight of glass lenses over time.

 

[Gorik]

Found these Visionade sunglasses on the fleamarket.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42643485@N02/5966707443/

 

[Jack Burton]

aviator sunglasses - glass or polycarbonate? AO models?

My current pair of Ray-bans are scratched to hell after about 10 years of use and I'm not shelling out that kind of money again. I'm considering a pair of AO Generals in amber but I'm going back and forth about the glass vs. polycarbonate thing. They'd be for around town use but I do occasionally drop my sunglasses. I know the glass lenses are tempered so just how fragile are they (impact wise)?

Also, does anyone know the differences between the AO General and the AO 8-base?

FWIW, I bought a pair of issue Randolph aviators back in the '90s for about $38 so I'm not sure why they're so expensive today, perhaps it's the lifetime warranty they offer now.

 

[Jaguar66]

Don't know why you wouldn't want to go with Ray Bay again. There are plenty of sellers of RayBan Aviators on Ebay for not much. e.g. right now I see a buy it now sale on the 3025 Classic Gold Green Ray Ban Aviators 55mm for less then $50.

 

[Jack Burton]

Don't know why you wouldn't want to go with Ray Bay again. There are plenty of sellers of RayBan Aviators on Ebay for not much. e.g. right now I see a buy it now sale on the 3025 Classic Gold Green Ray Ban Aviators 55mm for less then $50.

Thanks for the advice, though I think buying Ray-Bans on ebay is quite a gamble, especially at a price like that. One of the most faked sun glass brands out there. I'm with AO for now.

 

[Son_of_Atropos]

Randolph Engineering makes eyewear for the U.S. military. I am very satisfied with my pair of P3s. http://www.randolphusa.com/

 

[Weston]

Get on eBay - Randolph Engineering lenses are available for $25, and the frames for $25. For $50 and two packages you can assemble your own at a discount.

 

[fluteplayer07]

I advocate many vintage things... but, like asbestos, I stay away from real glass lenses like the plague. Real glass, tempered or not, can chip or shatter easily when dropped. And, say you were to get in a car crash, or be hit in the face by something, or even take a tumble off a bicycle; glass lenses can, do, and did, blind people permanently. The same dangers as riding in an early automobile apply, except the glass is even closer to your face. Sure, they might take surface wear a bit better than plastic, and they may feel a bit more genuine to you (although no one else can tell one way or another), but your vision is something you never want to risk. I used to want real glass lenses, but I have since been told all of the risks involved. I could never wear them now.

I don't know what pair you want, but these are just my words of advice.

 

[JimWagner]

Been wearing Ray-Bans for 45 years, in and out of the military, had a few broken frames, never a broken or even chipped lens. I wouldn't consider the risk of a shattered lens particularly high and anything likely to actually shatter one of those lenses would probably shatter my head as well. Just keep in mind that they are not safety glasses and don't use them as such.

 

[Rathdown]

If you like the glasses you have, any optometrist can replace the lenses...

 

[Stefan Persico]

How bout these sunglasses?

i bought these sunglasses on ebay a while ago, still haven't got them yet, but I cant wait! I think they look similar to the ones in Public Enemies used by Johnny Depp, (besides the color) these were actually made in the 1920's!! What do you think?


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-gre...s=63&clkid=2358845819605547652#ht_2377wt_1346


http://www.robbywells.com/images/Depp-shades-1.jpg


cheers -
Stefan

 

[cookie]

i bought these sunglasses on ebay a while ago, still haven't got them yet, but I cant wait! I think they look similar to the ones in Public Enemies used by Johnny Depp, (besides the color) these were actually made in the 1920's!! What do you think?


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-gre...s=63&clkid=2358845819605547652#ht_2377wt_1346


http://www.robbywells.com/images/Depp-shades-1.jpg


cheers -
Stefan[/QUOTthat guy has some incredible stuff. Don't know where he finds 'em. Some modern Japanese manufacturers have gone back to celluloid I read somewhere or was that acetate?.

 

[TM]

I wear AO frames with polycarbonate prescription lenses. Works great!
Tony

 

[Kabel]

I've been looking through this thread and browsing the internet for quite some time now and have come with a question.
Are there any slim/smaller frame rectangular shaped vintage sunglasses? A rectangular frame fits my face very well.
Frame or frameless… I'm very lost on this subject.

 

[CircuitRider]

Been wearing Ray-Bans for 45 years, in and out of the military, had a few broken frames, never a broken or even chipped lens. I wouldn't consider the risk of a shattered lens particularly high and anything likely to actually shatter one of those lenses would probably shatter my head as well. Just keep in mind that they are not safety glasses and don't use them as such.

I have for the last thirty years, Wayfarer, Wafayer !! Balerama, Aviaitor, and now Clubmaster frames with prescription lenses...the frames break or wear out but the lenses never do!

 

[DanielJones]

While out & about yesterday we popped into Sunglass Hut. I spied with my little eye some really great retro sunglasses that when I tried them on were just too perfect of a fit for me. First were the Ray-Ban round model of sunglasses, their model RB3447, with the gold frames and standard green lenses. They have a fantastic vintage look to them and pair perfectly with my Penman fedora. Although not precisely vintage they do have the look.

The price tag was $144.95. A bit steep for my pocketbook right now. But, I did a little searching on line and found a pair, new in the box with tags, on ebay for $89.95, free shipping. That I could not pass up. Thay should be here in about a week. They have more of a 30's or 40's look to them than my Ray-Ban Rituals which are similar in shape and size but a little more modern looking with more metal on them and the grey tortoise arms. It'll be a nice change.

The others that I found were just like my Pop's frames from back in the 50's (that I still have and plan to convert to either sunglasses with out prescription or prescription reading glasses). They are the half plastic half metal hornrim style of frames. Ray-Ban calls them their Clubmaster 49.

I'd like to find them with the silver metal instead of the gold. Again the price tag was a little steep but I will keep an active eye out on ebay for a pair less expensive. And again it was a perfect fit with my Penman fedora. Although not vintage either pair is quite suitable for my eyewear needs.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Mrs Chaddsley_Corbett]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/37051352...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_2359wt_1398

I purchased a pair of these, a few weeks ago and I have had notification that they are at the Post Office ready to be picked up