Mr. Lincoln's glasses

[L Verge]

To prove how infinite the ways of studying Lincoln appear to have become, the current issue of The Lincoln Herald (Spring 2014) has an extensive article on Abraham Lincoln's Eyeglasses: A Fresh Look Reveals a World-Class Treasure.

The author, David Fleishman, was in contact with me several years ago regarding Mrs. Surratt's eyeglasses, which are on display at Surratt House Museum. He said at that time that he was tackling the history of Mr. Lincoln's eyesight and corrective measures. And, boy, has he ever! This article is 27 pages long, and the editor explains that they have standard page and photo limits. He suggests that those wanting more details should visit Dr. Fleishman's website at http://www.antiquespectacles.com

That website is devoted to the history of eyeglasses, thousands of photos, as well as his studies on Lincoln. Dr. Fleishman is a retired ophthalmologist. The Lincoln family donated the objects in Lincoln's possession at the time of the assassination to the Library of Congress in 1937, but it was not until 1974, that several renowned optometrists were allowed to examine the eyeglasses. On October 30, 2011, Dr. Fleishman was allowed the same privilege and has determined that both sets are unique treasures, but that the smaller of the two pair that Lincoln is known to have is indeed wonderful. It is the smaller pair that appears in the only three photos of Mr. Lincoln that show evidence of eyeglasses.

One of the pair was a gift to Lincoln from Ward Hill Lamon, but it appears that the smaller pair, manufactured by Burt and Willard, is the rarest and likely the favorite of Lincoln. There are other claims of Lincoln eyeglasses floating around the country, but these two are the only ones that can be verified as Lincoln's since they were with him at the time of the assassination.

[LincolnToddFan]

Thank you Laurie...as an admitted history geek and Lincoln aficionado these are type of things that fascinate me!

[Gene C]

After glancing at the article you linked to Laurie, I'm beginning to suspect that the nice little old lady at the flea market in West Virginia was in error when she sold me these glasses that are supposed to be the ones Mary Lincoln wore to Ford's Theater

http://opticalvisionresources.com/wp-con...09/3_0.jpg

She was so convincing! She said they were a special gift to Mary from Billy Herndon. I guess they'll come in handy if I need a bottle opener.

[Houmes]

(09-09-2014 11:25 AM)L Verge Wrote:  To prove how infinite the ways of studying Lincoln appear to have become, the current issue of The Lincoln Herald (Spring 2014) has an extensive article on Abraham Lincoln's Eyeglasses: A Fresh Look Reveals a World-Class Treasure.

The author, David Fleishman, was in contact with me several years ago regarding Mrs. Surratt's eyeglasses, which are on display at Surratt House Museum. He said at that time that he was tackling the history of Mr. Lincoln's eyesight and corrective measures. And, boy, has he ever! This article is 27 pages long, and the editor explains that they have standard page and photo limits. He suggests that those wanting more details should visit Dr. Fleishman's website at http://www.antiquespectacles.com

That website is devoted to the history of eyeglasses, thousands of photos, as well as his studies on Lincoln. Dr. Fleishman is a retired ophthalmologist. The Lincoln family donated the objects in Lincoln's possession at the time of the assassination to the Library of Congress in 1937, but it was not until 1974, that several renowned optometrists were allowed to examine the eyeglasses. On October 30, 2011, Dr. Fleishman was allowed the same privilege and has determined that both sets are unique treasures, but that the smaller of the two pair that Lincoln is known to have is indeed wonderful. It is the smaller pair that appears in the only three photos of Mr. Lincoln that show evidence of eyeglasses.

One of the pair was a gift to Lincoln from Ward Hill Lamon, but it appears that the smaller pair, manufactured by Burt and Willard, is the rarest and likely the favorite of Lincoln. There are other claims of Lincoln eyeglasses floating around the country, but these two are the only ones that can be verified as Lincoln's since they were with him at the time of the assassination.

It's a nice article by Dr. Fleishman, but I question his criticism of the glasses in the Lattimer auction. They were given with a letter of provenance by Mary Harlan Lincoln with a handwritten letter in the 1890s, and despite the later date and whatever her feelings may have been for her deceased mother-in-law, Robert Todd Lincoln was still alive, well, and available to identify them. I doubt she would have called them Abraham Lincoln's if she wasn't completely certain. Plus, Dr. Fleishman evidently is not aware there's an additional pair of glasses not mentioned in his article. They're in the state historical museum in Iowa, also with a letter of provenance by Mary Harlan Lincoln.

[L Verge]

(09-09-2014 12:55 PM)Houmes Wrote:  

(09-09-2014 11:25 AM)L Verge Wrote:  To prove how infinite the ways of studying Lincoln appear to have become, the current issue of The Lincoln Herald (Spring 2014) has an extensive article on Abraham Lincoln's Eyeglasses: A Fresh Look Reveals a World-Class Treasure.

The author, David Fleishman, was in contact with me several years ago regarding Mrs. Surratt's eyeglasses, which are on display at Surratt House Museum. He said at that time that he was tackling the history of Mr. Lincoln's eyesight and corrective measures. And, boy, has he ever! This article is 27 pages long, and the editor explains that they have standard page and photo limits. He suggests that those wanting more details should visit Dr. Fleishman's website at http://www.antiquespectacles.com

That website is devoted to the history of eyeglasses, thousands of photos, as well as his studies on Lincoln. Dr. Fleishman is a retired ophthalmologist. The Lincoln family donated the objects in Lincoln's possession at the time of the assassination to the Library of Congress in 1937, but it was not until 1974, that several renowned optometrists were allowed to examine the eyeglasses. On October 30, 2011, Dr. Fleishman was allowed the same privilege and has determined that both sets are unique treasures, but that the smaller of the two pair that Lincoln is known to have is indeed wonderful. It is the smaller pair that appears in the only three photos of Mr. Lincoln that show evidence of eyeglasses.

One of the pair was a gift to Lincoln from Ward Hill Lamon, but it appears that the smaller pair, manufactured by Burt and Willard, is the rarest and likely the favorite of Lincoln. There are other claims of Lincoln eyeglasses floating around the country, but these two are the only ones that can be verified as Lincoln's since they were with him at the time of the assassination.

It's a nice article by Dr. Fleishman, but I question his criticism of the glasses in the Lattimer auction. They were given with a letter of provenance by Mary Harlan Lincoln with a handwritten letter in the 1890s, and despite the later date and whatever her feelings may have been for her deceased mother-in-law, Robert Todd Lincoln was still alive, well, and available to identify them. I doubt she would have called them Abraham Lincoln's if she wasn't completely certain. Plus, Dr. Fleishman evidently is not aware there's an additional pair of glasses not mentioned in his article. They're in the state historical museum in Iowa, also with a letter of provenance by Mary Harlan Lincoln.

I questioned his comment about Mary Harlan Lincoln's "ability" to prove the Lattimer pair authentic also - especially since he says she didn't marry into the family until a year after the assassination. That is certainly no concrete evidence to disprove her knowing about the glasses.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Thanks, Laurie, what a fascinating website overall!!! (Here's a direct link to the article BTW: http://www.antiquespectacles.com/topics/...incoln.htm )

Here are two IMO also interesting articles that focus on Lincoln's eyesight, e.g. telling

"The glasses were reported by Almer Coe, of Chicago, to have in each lens the strength of +6.75 D. This indicated that Lincoln probably had 4 or 4 ½ D. of hypermetropia, or farsightedness, at the age of 48":
http://www.lincolnportrait.com/emotional...lopia.html

...and explaining his "supersicious" experience of seeing a double image of his face in a mirror when resting on a couch in his wife's sitting room:
http://www.lincolnportrait.com/emotional...tious.html

Back to Laurie's recommended site - what I found amazing, too, were Robert E. Lee's glasses:

  63_small.jpg (Size: 1.16 KB / Downloads: 85)
The description reads: "Coin silver oval frame, blue lenses, pin-in-slot adjustable sides,
Lee Chapel and Museum, Washington and Lee University".

Blue eyeglasses - why that??? And in those days? Unfortunately, the site doesn't tell if those were reading glasses or other ones. I cannot think of any medical indication for blue eyeglass lenses. Nor do I personally find blue sunglasses (if that was the purpose) agreeable to look through. Thanks for all your ideas/comments on this!

[L Verge]

I am not an authority on this, but I believe that these types of glasses became popular around the time of the Crimean and then Civil War as an aid to soldiers who were suffering from injuries to the eyes.

[Gene C]

At least they weren't rose colored. Say that reminds me of a song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ8mlC3mWW4

[tblunk]

Found this information about blue lenses on another website:

Scientific American, 1857 "To weakness of the eyes:'We should judge that, as you suggest, blue spectacles would convert the yellow rays of artificial light into a green tint, more agreeable and less irritating to weak or sore eyes...'"

John King, The Causes, symptoms, diagnosis, pathology, and treatment of
chronic diseases, Cincinnati, Moore, Wilstach & Baldwin, 1867
Mentions cobalt blue lenses for both sclerotico-choroiditis posterior and glaucoma. P. 1481 and 1487.

Matthew Brady, the famous CW-era photographer was another example of a man who wore blue spectacles due to light sensitivity.

Henry Clay Angell, MD, A Treatise on Diseases of the Eye, Boston: James Campbell, 1873. writes "Eye protectors made of curved blue glass are the best [Eye Protectors]. Goggles with wire, silk, or glass sides keep the eye, as a general rule, too close and warm. For photophobia, simple blue spectacles of plain glass are generally sufficient, and may be darker or lighter in shade, according to the amount of protection required. Brown or smoke-colored glasses may be used, if preferred. The latter cut off all the rays of light, and consequently render vision somewhat less distinct, while blue glasses, excluding the orange rays only, interfere les with the clear definition of objects. Green glasses protect the eye from the red rays alone; but it is the orange rays which are most intolerable to a sensitive retina.

[Eva Elisabeth]

THANK YOU, Tom!!! Great info! I couldn't find anything historical, only that blue-tinted lenses are endorsed by the USPTA for tennis professionals and were provided to linepersons in the 2000 French Open. Blue is a contrast lens and reduces glare from visible white light (such as light reflected from mist, fog, snow, water).

Also I found out blue eyeglass lenses are prescribed when computer and smartphone screens cause “visual stress”, i. e. symptomes like dizziness, discomfort, nausea and shooting eye pain.

Neither the French Open nor computer screens were certainly an issue in the CW era...

(Recommend for golf BTW: smoke/grey on sunny days and amber or yellow on cloudy days.)

I wonder if a photo of Lee exists wearing these blue glasses?

[RJNorton]

Many thanks to Jim Garrett for sending this photo. It is David Fleishman with Abraham Lincoln's glasses. It was taken in the laboratory deep underground at the Library of Congress. Jim took the photo himself.

[Jim Garrett]

I would have to say that the good doctor is probably the best authority on eyeglasses. He points out amazing things about some pretty obscure things. He is a great person to go relic hunting with.

[Gene C]

My first impression when I saw the photo, was that he had them on.

[Jim Garrett]

I think David switched glasses while no one was looking.