Catalogue Number: 2806 Small travelling trial lens set with oval lenses Category: Equipment Sub-Category: Trial lens case Year Of Publication/Manufacture: c 1880 Time Period: 19th C Description Of Item: Small black leatherette case, 135 mm W x 110 D x 55 mm H, with hinged lid with gold ruling on its top, and a hinged front, with both the hinged lid and front secured by a single decorative gilt metal clasp. The case is lined internally with blue velvet and blue satin inside the lid. There are slots for 30 lenses in three rows of 10. The lenses are oval shaped and have no rim but have small circular stickers designating lens powers in inches and dioptres. Four lenses are missing. There is a steel metal trial frame included probably original to this trial set. It has a straight adjustable, spring loaded bridge, oval shaped eye, curl sides and cork nose pads with half-eye trial lens holder fitted to the lower half of the eye rims. It has the appearance of a steel spectacle frame adapted to serve as a trial frame by the addition of two trial lens cells. The adjustable bridge is of the kind often found in 19th century pince-nez. Also included is a small visual acuity chart, 115 x 80 mm, crease-hinged to present four 'pages' each 115 x 76 mm in size. These are identified on the first page as 'Test types for determining the acuteness of vision by GEORGE COWELL FRCS, Surgeon to the Westminster and Royal Westminster Ophthalmic Hospitals etc. The other pages have lines of letters of varying sizes (15 sizes in total) the sizes of which are designated in the form .3 (1) to 12 (40). A business card for George A Rees Pty Ltd (Little Collins Street Melbourne optometrists) signed 'with compliments Ron Wrigley'' is also included How Acquired: Donated by Ron Wrigley, Melbourne optometrist Condition: Good except leatherette worn in places and four lenses missing Location: Archive room. West wall. Unit 5 Drawer 4 |