According to The American Encyclopedia and Dictionary of
Ophthalmology, 1917, by Casey Wood, MD:
"Lenses are manufactured in some quanity in the United States
since 1883. Previous to that time most of the lenses used were
imported..."
I know that lens manufacture in France was well established by the
mid 1700s, and I believe in places like Germany and Italy as well.
I have checked several resources, including Richard Corson's
book, Fashions in Eyeglasses, From the 14th Century to the
Present Day, Peter Owen, 1980, but have found little on the
specific subject of where lenses were manufactured.
At the end of this month, a new book will be published on the
subject of spectacles: Spectacles and Other Vision Aides: A
History and Guide to Collecting, by J. William Rosenthal, MD.
This book will be available through Norman Publishing, San
Francisco, and will most likley be the best book available on
the subject to date.
John Handley
Museum of Ophthalmology
San Francisco
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