Description: A brass and celluloid pair of unusual opera glasses. The framework and eye pieces are brass with nickel plating. Hallmarked eye pieces with, "Chevalier, Paris". The bottom side of the frame is stamped, "Made in France".


History: Charles Louis Chevalier (born Paris, Apr 19th 1804, died Paris, Nov 2th 1859) was an optician and instrument maker. He was son of the optician Vincent Jacques Louis Chevalier who himself was son of an optician, Louis Vincent Chevalier who had founded the family's company in Paris in 1765. The company of Vincent and Charles Chevalier was famous for the achromatic lenses which were invented by father Vincent, and the lens/prism optics they both had invented for camera obscuras. In 1825 Nicéphore Niépce came to the Chevaliers to buy achromatic lenses for his experimental cameras. He told the Chevaliers about his first efforts to achieve persisting photographs. That was when Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre just got interested in similar experiments. Later Chevalier gave him the address of Niépce, the first step for Daguerre to become a photography inventor himself. In 1832 Charles founded his own company.

Provenance: FL Estate


Dimensions: Weight (Pounds & Ounces) = 0.25 | Height(in) = 2.5 | Width(in) = 3.75 | Depth(in) = 1.25

Size of Artwork(in): 2.5 x 3.75 x 1.25"


Artist Name: Chevalier, Paris


Medium: Brass, nickel coated.


Circa: Circa 1900

Good working mechanics and clear lenses. Brass surfaces have some tarnish and rust colored patina. Small amount of pitting and chips of nickel coating missing on eyepieces.