Browline Sunglasses back in the 60s?

• Feb 4, 2018

• #1

deMelo

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Hello!

I just got myself a pair of Ray Ban Clubmasters in tortoise.

I dig the style as I like most of my things classic and retro... I know this model wasn't released by Bausch & Lomb until circa 1986, but browline eyeglasses were pretty much all you saw back in the 50s and 60s...

My question is, was it common or at least possible to spot browline clubmaster-like SUNglasses back then? Or were they mostly prescription glasses?

I know companies like Shuron made these in a large scale of production, but I wonder if people actually wore this model with tinted lenses in the good ols 50s and 60s.

 

• Feb 4, 2018

• #2

Twelvefret

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Seems I remember men having a second pair of prescription brow lines that were tinted.

I have two pair of prescription brow line frames made by Ernest Hemmingway. One pair is all plastic as those worn in the '60's. The other is like your Ray Ban with metal across the bottom. Like yours, my earlier, '40's style are made of imitation tortoise shell color and subtle golden metal. I'd been looking for the earlier style for some time since these were the type worn by my grandfather. Enjoy!!!

 

• Feb 4, 2018

• #3

Edward

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Shuron created the browline style in 1947. I don't know how long it was before they routinely tinted prescription lenses. Shuron have long sold an adaptor piece that clips on over the top of regular browlines to shade them, but I suspect those were mainly for those who couldn't afford a second pair of glasses, or didn't want to carry a second entire pair.

Shuron are generally very good at responding to requests: might be worth dropping them a line to ask.

 

• Feb 4, 2018

• #4

T

tropicalbob

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I don't believe there were prescription sunglasses until the '70's. I remember my father kept a pair of clip-ons in his car. Tinted eyeglasses were definitely a "70's thing.

 

• Feb 4, 2018

• #5

deMelo

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tropicalbob said:

I don't believe there were prescription sunglasses until the '70's. I remember my father kept a pair of clip-ons in his car. Tinted eyeglasses were definitely a "70's thing.

Click to expand...

What about non prescription browline shades?

 

• Feb 5, 2018

• #6

BobHufford

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tropicalbob said:

I don't believe there were prescription sunglasses until the '70's. I remember my father kept a pair of clip-ons in his car. Tinted eyeglasses were definitely a "70's thing.

Click to expand...

My Dad had prescription sunglasses in the mid-1960s when I was a kid. They were in a clear plastic frame with green lenses. Wonder if he still has those...

 

• Feb 5, 2018

• #7

Edward

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deMelo said:

What about non prescription browline shades?

Click to expand...

Those were definitely around by the early 50s; I've owned some at one time.

 

• Feb 5, 2018

• #8

deMelo

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Just got a reply from Shuron.

Sunglass lenses were always available along with their Ronsirs.

 

• Jul 11, 2018

• #9

Winston Carter

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I got these from Giant Vintage Sunglasses to put gradient amber prescription lenses in. Don't know what year they are. I have a vintage black pair with gray transition lenses.

 

• Jul 12, 2018

• #10

Winston Carter

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My Black/Gold Browline glasses. I don't know how old. Bought them online and had my prescription Transition lenses installed.