The Dipple & Conway archive collection: 1920

This fascinating pair of glasses dates back to the 1920s, and the wearer would have used them for driving an open-topped car or riding a motorcycle.

During this period, both men and women often wore the same style of glasses. The pronounced differences of style between the sexes evolved in later decades.

While round was by far the most common shape; ovals, and octagons were also popular.

Rimless frames were still common from earlier decades although they looked dated. Round frames made from horn or shell were worn throughout the decade (the fragility of these makes them rare finds now), but sturdier white gold frames gradually replaced them.

Older gentlemen might have worn a pince-nez (French for ‘pinch-nose’ and pronounced ‘pons-nay’) a frame that stays on by pinching the nose, without the need for side arms on the glasses

Sunglasses followed the same trends when they began to catch on in the late 1920’s.

Advances in plastics materials allowed production of frames for glasses usually in imitation tortoiseshell or black.  The nose bridge and arms usually remained made of wire.

These unique spectacles are currently on display in the window of our Castle Street, Norwich store.  The above photograph and the rest of the collection were photographed by Will Farrow (The Farrows).

With regards

The Dipple & Conway team