Pince-nez
Category
Medical & health
Date
1880 - 1990
Materials
Glass
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Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire
NT 82507
Summary
A pair of pince-nez. A style of spectacles, popular in the 19th century, without earpieces, supported by pinching the bridge of the nose, hence the name which comes from the French pincer, "to pinch", and nez, "nose". Pince-nez were used in Europe from the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries, re-appearing in the 1840s and reaching their peak of popularity in the late 19th century.
Provenance
Anonymous donation to the National Trust for the furnishing of Fen Cottage.