Historical glasses, spectacle cases, and optical oddities and curiosities from the private collection of Dr. Andrew S. Miller, O.D.
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Many patrons of this site ask if I could set up a page where I can exhibit just my most recent acquisitions, so they don’t have to look throught the whole website again. Your wish is my command!
This extremely rare French gilt bone optical fan was bought at the French auction house, Drouot This is the same auction house Madame Heymann lived above and obtained some of her famous optical collectibles.Orbital epithesis used in WWI to fix facial wounds cosmetically. Acquired at British Medical and Scientific auction.At the same auction, a prosthetic nose with a pair of prescription glasses.A model eye from 1910 used to train doctors how to diagnose eye diseases.Pair of coffee mugs depicting antique glasses. Found on Etsy.Porcelain pot of Danson’s Eye Salve, late 1800s with original eye graphic. (Was changed to solid diamond in later years)1950’s spy camera designed to double as a lighter. Found at antique camera auction.Stirn’s vest camera, dated 1886. Designed to be worn under your vest to take random pictures of people on the street. No kidding, see here.https://collectiblend.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=135Fingerprint camera, used at crime scenes, circa 1950, obtained from city surplus.Straw work case, late 1700s, part of a former museum collection.Unopened eyeglass holder, circa 1920.Wooden retail box for Murine eye drops, c. 1900Italian Sorrento ware case, mid-late 1800s.Porcelain opera glasses. Very unusual to see these, as porcelain is considered too fragile for opera glasses. Probably handmade commissioned piece, late 1800s-early 1900sDr. Davis’ Eye Water. No ingredients listed, so must be pre 1906.Hand painted Chinese shark-skin case.
Combination Mauchlineware and Tartanware case, made at the Smith family factory in Scotland late 19th century.New Years Eve faience flask, depicting the Eye of Horus, circa 660-525 B.C. This flask was filled with perfume, oil, or water from the Nile as a gift for the beginning of the new year, when the Nile began to flood. This is now officially the oldest object in The Eyeseum!Anti gas eye shield, WWIIDr. Becker’s Eye Balsam, c. 1900. Was found to contain just mercury, finely ground sand, and fat!Combo lighter/microscope, 1940s. Purchased from a microscope collector. Zeiss sacharrinoscope, 1920s. Used to measure sugar concentrations in liquids.Combination gun / spectacle case, dated 1864. Purchased at military auction. I was the only one to bid on this!Limoges, France magnifier, c. 19001906 watch camera, Flint’s Auction House, EnglandSpinthariscope, a device invented in 1903 to measure radioctivity, an early type of ”Geiger counter”.Pair of Theodore Hamblin ”speclettes”, with stunning gilt silver embossed case, c. 1920. Acquired 04/02/2022Hand carved ivory from Japan, optics made in London, c. 1860. Acquired from estate of collector in Seattle. Acquired 4/2/2022Hand painted French on metal. Early 20th century. Acquired 4/5/2022Elder flower eye lotion, dated 1929Eye Cap (patch) , pat’d 1889. Made of metal with leather tie. Acquired 3/19/2022Atlas of the eye with layered tranparencies, dated 1880. Acquired 3/12/2022.FrontBack
Japanese case made from ”blonde” tortoiseshell with gold overlay, circa early 1900’s. Acquired 02/28/2022.
French ophthalmodynamometer, a device used for measuringcentral retinal arterial pressure. C. 1917 . Acquired Feb. 27, 2022Tru-Vue stereo film viewer. A precursor to the Viewmaster, this 1930s bakelite viewer came with numerous filmstrips in a quality parquetry wooden box. Acquired in Nashville antique store, 02/19/2022Viewmaster projector, 1940s, also made of bakelite. Picked up in Nashville as well.Zardozi embroidery (Persian for ”gold sewing”)spectacle case, early 1800s, possibly Persian or Turkish. Acquired at traveling antique fair, Suffolk, Feb. 26, 2022.Black enameled opera glasses, from same fair, circa early 1900sPair of cellulose imitation tortoise lorgnettes , c. 1920, also found at same fair.Nyal Eye Water (chlorbutanol, a derivative of chloroform), circa 1916Advertising bar of soap for Dr. Salter’s Eye Lotion, dated Oct. 4, 1905.FrontInsideBackHand carved boxwood case designed to hold a pair of Nuremberg spectacles. The carving is a depiction of the tranformation of Pocahontas, from Native American princess to baptised wife of John Rohlfe, circa 1614. This beautiful case was acquired at a local Virginia auction in February 2022, from a family descended from Pocahontas.Wonderful pair of ivory and brass opera glasses with tortoiseshell eyepiece rims. Made by W. Johnson, Optician to University Hospital, c. 1890. Found at an estate sale.Advertising mirror with monthly birthstones. c. 1910Pair of spectacles for a doll, c. 1922Takamaki-e Japanese case. Maki-e is an art form where enamel is painted on and then sprinkled with gold dust. Maki-e is literally translated ”sprinkled picture”. c. 1900Singleton’s eye ointment, England, c. 1930. The same recipe in use since 1569.Eye medicine dispenser, c. 1880-1890. An undine is a water elemental, such as a mermaid or water nymph. Purchased from club member.Eye massager, for use with eye wash. C. late 19th century. Also purchased from club member.Advertising game promoting eye health, c. 1930Full sheet of sunglasses, N.Y. , c. 1940Handmade case, PeruBinoculars, dated 1899, property of US Navy.Handheld stereo glasses, c. 1870. Eye magnet for removing metal fragments from the eye. Victorian eraTortoiseshell and silver scissors glasses. Early 1800sSteel case designed to hold a pair of templed glasses. Dated 1726, it is most likely the oldest dated case of its kind. Purchased at a British Nautical auction, October 2022McLeans Eye Salve, circa 1900.British optical kit, c. 1930French Patheorama, an early filmstrip viewer of French landmarks and museums. c. 1886. Purchased from the estate of prominent camera and medical quackery collector in New York State. Mourning eye brooch, dated 1878, in memory of dear Grandma.
