Lorgnette.com

Lorgnettes are a type of reading spectacles that are held up using a handle instead of by fitting over the ears. These were very popular in the 1800's and often used for fashion reasons as opposed for vision reasons. They were especially popular at masquerade parties and regularly used by visitors to the opera.

They were created by Englishman - George Adams - and the frames and handle were often beautifully decorated and embellished, particularly as lorgnettes were most popular with women who did not want to wear spectacles.

Over the years lorgnettes change in style and shape. The original type of lorgnette, with long handles that often doubled as a case to put the spectacles into were very practical and portable. They stayed popular up until around 1825 when the handles started to become much shorter. This development came as spring-loaded fronts become more popular.

Later on, lorgnettes were more regularly used for fashion purposes, and some were really impractical yet intricately decorated. They were usually very small and hard to hold. This type of lorgnette first came about in France.

Another type of lorgnette is the watch lorgnette. These are quite rare, and only available to the well-off. They were made in the 1830's and were lorgnettes which included a watch inside the handle. Most of the best examples were produced in Switzerland. Many of them were made from 24 carat gold and embellished with diamonds and jewels.

These days, although less popular than they were a couple of centuries ago, they are still the spectacle of choice of many people around the world. Lorgnettes are better known as opera glasses these days, and are still popular amongst opera-goers. Many people buy them as antiques to have on show at their homes as opposed to actually wearing them. Others purchase lorgnettes as part of a fancy dress costume, particularly around Halloween.

When purchasing a lorgnette, there are several things to take into account to ensure you make the best decision for you. The first decision to make is what color you want. Often it is better to pick a more subtle color that will suit your skin and hair tones as well as outfits that you wear. Classical colors such as silver, gold or black are popular choices as they won't go out of fashion. However, if you want to stand out from the crowd perhaps a brighter, bolder color is a better option for you. You must also then decide on the right magnification.

There are very few places that produce lorgnettes today, except for costume purposes. Most lorgnettes are antiques and your local antique dealer should be able to head you in the right direction if you are looking at buying a lorgnette.

There are many examples of lorgnettes around still today, so it shouldn't be hard finding a beautiful antique one that you like the look of. Most of the best examples come from the Victorian and Edwardian eras and originate in the United Kingdom.

They vary quite a lot in price, as it depends on the condition they are in and also the quality and level of embellishments that are on them. Basic un-embellished lorgnettes will be significantly cheaper than a diamond-embellished rare watch lorgnette.

If you are looking to buy a lorgnette to go with a costume, there are plenty of fantastic options - no matter what your price range. Your local costume store should have some for sale, usually just basic cheap plastic ones. However you can find good quality ones at some places for a higher price. The better quality ones can usually be found at specialty costume stores that specialize in supplying costumes and accessories for movie, television and theatre. Costume lorgnettes can be used by either men or women, however the more ornate ones are more popular with women.

I hope you have found this guide useful and that it has given you a bit of an insight into what lorgnettes are and what they can be used for.