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A Collection of over 250 Artificial Glass Eyes, English, late 19th/early 20th century, (3) image 1
A Collection of over 250 Artificial Glass Eyes, English, late 19th/early 20th century, (3) image 2
A Collection of over 250 Artificial Glass Eyes, English, late 19th/early 20th century, (3) image 3
A Collection of over 250 Artificial Glass Eyes, English, late 19th/early 20th century, (3) image 4
Lot 92

A Collection of over 250 Artificial Glass Eyes,
English, late 19th/early 20th century,
(3)

15 – 16 February 2022, 10:00 GMT
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £6,120 inc. premium

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A Collection of over 250 Artificial Glass Eyes, English, late 19th/early 20th century,

comprising three fitted and lined trays of ocular prostheses, one labelled blue housing 91 eyes, one labelled brown housing 92 eyes, and one labelled olive mixture housing 82 eyes, the hand-blown 'shell' glass eyes of various shapes, colouring and dilation,
each tray 13 1/4in x 12in (33.5cm x 30.5cm) (3)

Footnotes

While commonly referred to as 'glass eyes', ocular prostheses are of convex 'shell' form, held in place beneath the eyelids. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, European and American firms produced such eyes individually by oil lamp and bellows, then delicately hand painted the iris, pupil, and capillaries. The present Lot contains an impressive number of examples and may have formed the stock of an Ophthalmologist. The range of colours and shapes would have allowed for visiting patients to be serviced directly without the need for bespoke production.

Additional information

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