Vintage Vibes - ONLINE ONLY
Lot 166a:
Description
This is an incredibly rare and fascinating pair of mid-to-late 19th-century “Luminous Reader” spectacles, historically used by saloon gamblers to cheat at poker. Featuring deep cobalt blue-tinted lenses and a delicate brass wire frame with a classic saddle bridge, these glasses allowed players to read otherwise invisible, phosphorescent-ink markings on the backs of marked cards. An iconic piece of Old West gambling history, these “cheaters” are in excellent vintage condition with no chips to either lens, though a thin, light scratch is visible on the right lens, and the wire hardware exhibits a natural, age-appropriate patina. H 1.38″, W 5″, D 4.5″. Please see photos for condition.
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