Aviator Sunglasses

[Bruce Linz]

Hello,

 

I am hoping someone can help out and tell me if these are World War II vintage, GI issued sunglasses, their proper nomenclature and what if any case they came in. I have included some photos. The frames appear to be nickel. The nose pieces and bridge piece look to be bakelite. They are marked under the top bridge as follows: "R.O.C. FUL-VUE 12". I think R.O.C. is the Rochester Optical Company. Their biggest flaw is that they are missing one of the screws that holds the ear piece bow on. What are the chances of find a replacement screw? Thanks for your help.

 

Semper Fi,

Bruce Linz

 

[Bruce Linz]

More photos

[Sabrejet]

They look like typical WW2 period "comfort cables", AN6531 type. Your local optometrist might be able to help you out re the missing screw?

[littlebuddy]

Yes very similar to the AN6531 , Wasnt the AN6531 produced by the American Optical Co ?? i really must go check my couple of pairs now !!

 

you have got me wondering about them now !!

 

LB

 

Heres my pair of AN6531 for comparison

[littlebuddy]

Have just checked out my pair and they were made by Bausch &Lomb and just as a matter of me being a newbie USAAF nerd !!

they were purchased at a cost to the USAAF IN 1943 for $3.25 cts

 

wish they cost that now !!!!!

[littlebuddy]

Bruce i have just copied this extract from a thread i started a while ago and this is what one very good member had to say about my pair

 

"The B&L ones are probably US Navy issue, but they are in an AO ( American Optical) case . The 2 pairs I have are in an aluminum B&L case and a leather B&L case. I have a number of pairs of official issue sunglasses from WWII, and I have found the Bausch and Lomb ones seem to have mainly been Navy issue. I have also see WO ( Wilson Optical ) ones as well. I have seen the official issue sunglasses with Green, Blue, and yellow lenses. Official issue pairs also have silver colored and not gold frames in my experience.

 

Carl

[jetranger407]

I had a similar task a few years back. But for a pair of B&L aviators - virtually impossible to find, actually looked alot like the screw you've shown. The screws they used were proprietary to their frame. Your best bet is to go to a ma & pa sunglass/optical shop and take them the screw that you do have and find the closest thing to it. It won't have the same patina, but you can only hope you'll at least find a modern equivalent that will fit and that they have the right gauges for different frames. Hope this helps.

[HeadOfSteel]

I always thought these were the coolest sunglasses around.

[urbanminer]

I just picked up a pair of these Rochester Optical AN6531 sunglasses, identical to the ones shown above, at an estate sale. I was told they were worn by a USMC member during WWII (grain of salt). In researching who were the 'several makers' of these glasses during WWII, I found the below ad from a 1948 Popular Science, listing Bausch & Lomb, American Optical, and Chas Fischer. Another ad from the Kansas City Star (also 1948) apparently lists those three plus Rochester Optical; if someone has a subscription to Newspapers.com, please scan and post the ad that's here: http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/50235437/

Of these four, B&L and AO are obviously the most well known. Does anyone out there have a pair made by Fischer to show? As for the 'FUL-VUE' trademark, that's the frame design introduced by AO in 1930, with the earpieces connecting near the top of the lenses rather than the center. It was so successful that various other makers paid royalties to AO in order to use the design. On vintagesunglassesshop.com it is claimed that B&L AN6531's with the FUL-VUE mark are the earliest ones.