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#12 - SPECTACLES
The museum has a large collection of sunglasses and regular spectacles. There are a variety of spectacles worn by Bradford County residents during the 19th and 20th century on display. James Ayscough began experimenting with tinted lenses in spectacles around 1752. Ayscough was steadfast in the belief that blue- or green- tented glass could potentially correct specific vision impairments. Protection from the sun’s rays was not a concern at that time. Glasses tinted with yellow- amber or brown were also commonly-prescribed item for people with syphilis in the 19th and 20th century because one of the symptoms of the disease was sensitivity to light. In the early 1900s, the use of sunglasses became more wide-spread, especially among Hollywood movie stars.
Visit the Bradford County Historical Society Wednesday through Friday, 10 am to 4 pm to see this and hundreds of other local history pieces.
