Gold oval-eye spectacles with case and cleaning cloth

Historical Significance: Joseph Sydney Cowen was registered for practice of optometry under section 8 (prior experience) of the 1935 Opticians Act on 17 August 1936. He was among the first optometrists to be registered as qualified for the practice of optometry in Victoria under an Act of Parliament. He had no formal qualifications but was registered on the basis of his prior experience in optometry. He claims the qualification M.V.O.A but this simply signifies that he was admitted as a Member of the Victorian Optical Association (VOA), but without examination. The VOA initiated a Fellowship qualification (F.V.O.A.) in 1913 obtained by examination and which conferred rights to the suffix FVOA. His son Harold held that qualification as shown on the case and cleaning cloth. It is of interest that the Cowens describe themselves as 'optometrists' on both the case and the cleaning cloth, not as 'opticians' or 'optometrists and opticians' as was customary until the 1960s. This might suggest a later date for these spectacles but the telephone number WINDSOR 1193 is a number format in use in the period 1930 to 1938.