product code : k5484 : £ 115

• 1920s silver metal frame marked WO C°


• Original mid-grey glass sun lenses

condition

• lenses : excellent - 9


• frame : very good


• fit : very good - cable arms

size

• face : 115mm


• lens width : 40mm


• lens height : 40mm


• arms : n/a - cable arms

lens spec

• uv transmission % : L=3 ; R=5


• light transmission (LTF) % : L=29 ; R=34


• uv protection y/n : y

other info

• This pair is marked WO C° which stands for Willson Optical Company,
  
  established in 1870 in Reading, PA. By the 1920s when this pair was made
  
  Willson were manufacturing vast numbers of optical frames and sunglasses,
  
  they were particularly known for safety and work eyewear. This is a pair of
  
  what was called 'sun goggles' at the time, unisex and marketed for those
  
  who liked the outdoors, especially driving which was becoming more popular.
  
  Here is a catalogue page of Willson's from 1922, the N65 centre left is the
  
  same as ours but a slightly larger model. Theirs is a 1⅞" lens whilst ours
  
  measures up as 1½". Ours are what was called the 'smoke' coloured
  
  lenses and as was common at the time, the tints differ slightly from each
  
  other (see light transmissions above) but not so much so that you would
  
  notice when the are being worn: it is only more apparent against our white
  
  backdrop. The lenses are rare these days as they are made completely
  
  flat, which started to change in the 1930s when lenses started to adapt a
  
  curve. Sadly Willson no longer exist as a company, they went fully into
  
  safety wear in the 1980s and were later purchased by a larger company
  
  and eventually dissolved.
  
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