Item number: G25

Year: AD 1920-1930

Material: Gilt Metal

Size: 103.7 x 45.8 mm (When Closed)

Weight: 34.28 g

Provenance: Private Collector, USA, 2025

This is an Art Deco folding spectacle with spring mechanism, constructed in gilt metal and designed to collapse into a compact form when not in use. The frame comprises two circular lenses joined by a central bridge with pivoting joints. One lens is fitted with an extending handle, allowing the piece to function in the manner of a folding lorgnette. When the lower mechanism is drawn downward, the spring action releases and the second lens opens into position.

The metal frame is decorated with geometric ornament characteristic of the Art Deco period, including linear engraving and repeating criss-cross motifs along the handle. The handle terminates in a shaped loop, likely intended for suspension from a chain or chatelaine. The hinges and pivot points are mechanically precise, reflecting the emphasis on engineering and streamlined design typical of the period.

Art Deco emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, following the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes held in Paris in 1925. The style is defined by symmetry, geometric pattern, stylised ornament and the use of modern materials and industrial techniques. It represented a shift away from the organic forms of Art Nouveau towards a more structured and machine-age aesthetic.

Folding spectacles and lorgnettes were popular from the late nineteenth century into the early twentieth century, particularly as portable optical aids for theatre, opera and social occasions. Compact mechanical designs such as this allowed the wearer to carry corrective lenses discreetly. During the Art Deco period, functional objects were frequently given decorative treatment in keeping with contemporary taste, combining utility with fashionable design.

This example demonstrates both the mechanical ingenuity and the geometric ornament associated with early twentieth-century decorative arts.

物件編號: G25

年代: 公元 1920-1930 年

材質: 鍍金金屬

尺寸: 103.7 x 45.8 mm (收寸: 103.7 X 45.8 Mm (收合時)

來源: 美國私人收藏 2025

這是一副裝有彈簧機構的裝飾藝術（Art Deco）時期折疊式眼鏡，以鍍金金屬製成，設計為在不使用時可折疊成緊湊形態。鏡框由兩個圓形鏡片組成，中間以橋位連接，並設有可活動的樞軸接點。其中一側鏡框連接延伸手柄，使其兼具折疊式手持眼鏡（lorgnette）的功能。當向下拉動下方機構時，彈簧裝置釋放，另一片鏡框隨即彈開至使用位置。

金屬框架飾有裝飾藝術時期典型的幾何紋飾，包括線性雕刻及手柄上的重複交叉圖案。手柄末端設有造型環扣，應為便於懸掛於鏈條或腰飾（chatelaine）之用。鉸鏈與樞軸結構製作精密，反映出該時期對工程結構與流線型設計的重視。

裝飾藝術風格興起於1920至1930年代，其名稱源自1925年於巴黎舉行的「國際現代裝飾與工業藝術博覽會」（Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes）。此風格以對稱構圖、幾何圖案、風格化裝飾以及現代材料與工業技術的運用為特徵，標誌著由新藝術（Art Nouveau）有機曲線風格向更具結構性與機械時代美學的轉變。

折疊式眼鏡與手持眼鏡自十九世紀末至二十世紀初廣受歡迎，常用於劇院、歌劇院及各類社交場合，作為便攜式視力輔助工具。此類緊湊機械設計使佩戴者能夠低調攜帶矯正鏡片。於裝飾藝術時期，功能性物件常配以符合當代審美的裝飾處理，兼具實用性與時尚設計。

此件作品展現了二十世紀初期裝飾藝術在機械設計與幾何裝飾方面的特色與工藝水準。