Civil War soldier's tinted eyeglasses, as in museum

This is another unique piece being offered, it is a pair of Civil War era tinted eyeglasses – they are a bluish green. The idea of tinted lenses was first introduced by Richardson's patent of 1797, colored usually blue or green, to shield the sun.

During the Civil War these types of “sunglasses” were at times worn by sharpshooters and artillerymen. They have a steel frame and easily open and close. Walter Alden wrote in 1866 that during the Civil War many soldiers used “shell spectacles” during their long marches in the sun. This definitely seems to refer to eyewear especially intended for sun protection. In the Civil War Medical Museum in Frederick Maryland, there are a similar pair on display (see pictures).

These eyeglasses are in excellent condition and remain tight. There is a period photograph of Captain Thomas B. Griffith of the 3^rd Massachusetts Infantry (see pictures). They would go great with a display of a soldier’s personal effects.