Opera glasses was one of the byproducts of a long line of inventions. It started during 1608 with the Dutch optician Hans Lipperhey manufacturing binoculars comprising of two twin telescopes connected by a centerpiece. They had an impressive magnification ability of x3. Not to be left behind the Italian inventor Galileo Galilee within a year dramatically improved the design of telescopes, allowing a magnification of x30.
Binoculars of the time had one major disadvantage: Despite offering a much wider field of view than a telescope, they made use of convex lenses - which resulted in the image being inverted! It wasn't before more than 100 years later that Anton Schyrle for the first time manufactured binoculars with an extra lens that re-inverted the image. And it took another--1 years before John Dollond of England solved another big problem that binoculars had - color distortion. He started using achromatic lenses (color free lenses) and thereby solved this problem permanently.
The next step forward was made when an Italian gunnery officer by the name of Ignazio Porro developed prismatic binoculars during the '50s. These offered an even wider field of vision than earlier binoculars and also a drastically improved magnification ability.
Opera glasses are mentioned for the first time in London newspaper advertisements dating back to 1730. These were not binoculars, but small Galilean telescopes. They were both used decoratively and to watch opera with. The bodies were often inlaid with gems, mother of pearl, ivory, enamel and other types of decorations.
It wasn't until 23 in Vienna that we first find mention of binocular-type opera glasses. These were in fact simply two small telescopes with a bridge connecting them. The telescopes had to be focused individually by extending the tubes.
These very soon became as much a fashion item as an optical instrument. The designs became more elaborate and had to be worked on by painters, goldsmiths and other artists to create the ultimate fashion accessory. Theater goers not only used this to watch the stage, but also to scrutinize other people in the audience - presumably to see who else had opera glasses!
Within a few years the design was improved to make it possible to simultaneously adjust both lenses. This led to an immediate increase in the popularity of this type of glasses. They also turned into much appreciated gifts - as is apparent when looking at the inscriptions encountered on many opera glasses dating from that period.
Although there are nowadays a multitude of different types of opera glasses on the market, they fall into two categories: monocular and binocular. Within those categories you get all the colors of the rainbow and all the styles and materials you can think of. You even get opera glasses with handles and reading lights. One of the more unusual types is one with a jealousy glass - so you can unobtrusively watch someone else in the audience! - 16887
Binoculars of the time had one major disadvantage: Despite offering a much wider field of view than a telescope, they made use of convex lenses - which resulted in the image being inverted! It wasn't before more than 100 years later that Anton Schyrle for the first time manufactured binoculars with an extra lens that re-inverted the image. And it took another--1 years before John Dollond of England solved another big problem that binoculars had - color distortion. He started using achromatic lenses (color free lenses) and thereby solved this problem permanently.
The next step forward was made when an Italian gunnery officer by the name of Ignazio Porro developed prismatic binoculars during the '50s. These offered an even wider field of vision than earlier binoculars and also a drastically improved magnification ability.
Opera glasses are mentioned for the first time in London newspaper advertisements dating back to 1730. These were not binoculars, but small Galilean telescopes. They were both used decoratively and to watch opera with. The bodies were often inlaid with gems, mother of pearl, ivory, enamel and other types of decorations.
It wasn't until 23 in Vienna that we first find mention of binocular-type opera glasses. These were in fact simply two small telescopes with a bridge connecting them. The telescopes had to be focused individually by extending the tubes.
These very soon became as much a fashion item as an optical instrument. The designs became more elaborate and had to be worked on by painters, goldsmiths and other artists to create the ultimate fashion accessory. Theater goers not only used this to watch the stage, but also to scrutinize other people in the audience - presumably to see who else had opera glasses!
Within a few years the design was improved to make it possible to simultaneously adjust both lenses. This led to an immediate increase in the popularity of this type of glasses. They also turned into much appreciated gifts - as is apparent when looking at the inscriptions encountered on many opera glasses dating from that period.
Although there are nowadays a multitude of different types of opera glasses on the market, they fall into two categories: monocular and binocular. Within those categories you get all the colors of the rainbow and all the styles and materials you can think of. You even get opera glasses with handles and reading lights. One of the more unusual types is one with a jealousy glass - so you can unobtrusively watch someone else in the audience! - 16887
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Before you attend any performance make sure that you have a good pair of opera glasses. Here you can check out Opera Glasses with handle, flashlight, chain and more!
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