Opera Glasses: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

Each eyecup of this small instrument is marked “LEMAIRE FABT * PARIS .” The objective lenses are 35 mm diameter and the optics are good. The frame is metal. The barrels are covered with black leather. A center wheel adjusts the focus. The words “MADE IN / FRANCE” appear on the central brace, as does the trade mark image of a bee. The number “327412” appears on the eye end brace. The carrying case is black leather with a reddish-brown silk lining.

Jacques Lemaire began making opera glasses in 1847 and was soon a major manufacturer noted for using mechanization, division of labor and interchangeable parts. M.J.B. Baille joined the firm in 1871 and took charge in 1885.

Ref: Nicholas Gilman, A Dividend to Labor: A Study of Employers’ Welfare Institutions (Boston and New York, 1899), pp. 297–304.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: 1850-1900
• maker: Lemaire
• Object Name: opera glasses
• Measurements: closed: 1 7/8 in x 4 5/16 in; 4.7244 cm x 10.9474 cm
• Measurements: overall in case: 3 7/16 in x 4 3/4 in x 2 1/2 in; 8.73125 cm x 12.065 cm x 6.35 cm
• place made: France: Île-de-France, Paris
• ID Number: PH.336805
• catalog number: 336805
• accession number: 1978.2216
• Credit Line: Jane and Mary Henle
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.