The Real Numbers

Bürgermeisteraltar, c. 1510, St. Nikolai Church, Stralsund).  Donated by the mayors (Bürgermeister) Henning Mörder (died. 1516) and Sabel Oseborn (died 1526). The detail with the spectacles is part of the scene which shows the circumcision of Jesus.
Bürgermeisteraltar, c. 1510, St. Nikolai Church, Stralsund). Donated by the mayors (Bürgermeister) Henning Mörder (died. 1516) and Sabel Oseborn (died 1526). The detail with the spectacles is part of the scene which shows the circumcision of Jesus.
Red leather case decorated with gold tooling, lined with red velvet and white silk, circa early 18th century, Science Museum, London
Red leather case decorated with gold tooling, lined with red velvet and white silk, circa early 18th century, Science Museum, London
Joos van Cleve, St. Jerome in His Study, Netherlandish, 1524-30, oil on panel, Harvard University Art Museums, Fogg Art Museum, Gift of Howland Warren, Dr. Richard P. Warren, and Mrs. Grayson M.P. Murphy, 1961.26 Photo: Imaging Department © President and Fellows of Harvard College  (glasses are depicted lying on the table in from of the skull, but that section of the painting is actually quite dark)
Joos van Cleve, St. Jerome in His Study, Netherlandish, 1524-30, oil on panel, Harvard University Art Museums, Fogg Art Museum, Gift of Howland Warren, Dr. Richard P. Warren, and Mrs. Grayson M.P. Murphy, 1961.26 Photo: Imaging Department © President and Fellows of Harvard College (glasses are depicted lying on the table in from of the skull, but that section of the painting is actually quite dark)
Real tortoiseshell and silver, folding nose spectacles, hinged at both ends of the bridge, circa 2nd quarter 18th century
Real tortoiseshell and silver, folding nose spectacles, hinged at both ends of the bridge, circa 2nd quarter 18th century
Niccolò Antonio Colantonio (born about 1420), Saint Jerome (taking a thorn out of a lion), Museum of Capodimonte, Naples
Niccolò Antonio Colantonio (born about 1420), Saint Jerome (taking a thorn out of a lion), Museum of Capodimonte, Naples

The statistics about our website are accurate as of 02/05/2012

The level of cooperation on this website becomes apparent when you look at these numbers because so many collectors as well as institutions are taking part (Sharing, Contributing, Participating and Collaborating) in this endeavor.

>6500 Total images available for viewing on our website
>5270 Total images for viewing in Our Virtual Museum (140 slide shows)
>1425 Contributing Individuals acknowledged for helping to build this website
>760 Participating Institutions sharing images and/or information
>705 Institutions which have waived all fees to become involved and represented on our non-commercial website
>540 Other websites to which we have a direct hyperlink
>330 Active pages on this website
>220 Spectacles of Well Known People
>215 Public Institution collections which have been examined by our curator
>145 Organizations and businesses who acknowledge our merit and publicize our website
>140 Slideshows on the Our Virtual Museum page
>120 Collectors sharing images from their collections
>100 Institutions listed on the World’s Public Collections
70 Reference books and articles listed
50 Published articles written which have mentioned our website, so far (segregated by year, beginning 2004)
44 Words listed in the Glossary (most with images)
43 Languages in which we have found the word for "spectacles"
38 Interesting Topics as add-on pages
>30 Visual Illusion Games
28 Printable PDF files
27 Number of locations where Rivet Spectacles (mostly fragments) have been found.
25 Distinguished Persons to whom our website is dedicated (Honor Roll).
21 Larger private collections examined by our curator
15 Books from which we have been given permission to reprint illustrations
12 Countries from which the renowned individuals listed on our Honor Roll originated
12 Posted goals of the website
11 Newly published books
8 Educational Games
6 Neat Discoveries
4 Key Charts of Historical Optical Objects
3 Translations of Key Historical Documents
2 Videos with sound
1 Audio Interview
1 PowerPoint presentation

~725 Years since the invention of the first spectacles
>540 Years between the invention of eyeglasses and the creation of "rimless" eyeglasses by Voigtlander (Austria).
430 Years it took until Edward Scarlett (probably) devised the temple sidearm
2 Collectors Clubs in the world dedicated to studying the history of Vision Aids

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