Exceptional Pair of Postwar Avant Garde Sunglasses

This striking and extremely rare pair of oversized geometric sunglasses represents one of the most compelling surviving examples of early European couture eyewear of the postwar era. Created between approximately 1948 and 1956, the frame reflects the design vocabulary of Parisian optical ateliers operating in the fashion districts surrounding the Marais and Saint Honoré. These workshops produced bespoke or small run pieces for couture houses, theatrical costumiers and high fashion boutiques at a time when eyewear had not yet transitioned into the branded industry that would emerge in the 1960s.
The frame is crafted from high quality tortoiseshell patterned acetate noted for its depth of colour, weight and sculptural hand polish. Each geometric lens is fitted into a meticulously formed brass inner rim shaped directly to the lens contours. This labour intensive construction was characteristic of specialist ateliers and far beyond the capabilities of commercial eyewear manufacturers of the period. The sculpted one-piece nose pads, narrow bridge and elevated facial placement reflect the avant garde aesthetic associated with midcentury French fashion eyewear.
The bold octagonal silhouette and dramatic scale indicate that this piece was conceived primarily as a fashion accessory rather than a utilitarian optical object. Frames of this type were often commissioned for editorial photography, couture presentations or select boutique clients and were typically produced in extremely small quantities. Their unbranded nature corresponds with atelier practice in the years before luxury eyewear branding became established.
Based on its materials, refined handwork and stylistic language, the piece is almost certainly of French atelier origin. Early Italian artisan production, particularly from small workshops in the Cadore region, remains a secondary possibility. Its preserved and unused condition makes it exceptionally rare, with the acetate retaining full clarity and polish and the brass showing only the slightest natural patination consistent with age. Hinges remain firm and fully functional, with no evidence of wear, deterioration or previous ownership.
This pair represents an important transitional moment in design history when eyewear evolved from medical apparatus to sculptural fashion object. An outstanding and historically significant example of postwar European couture eyewear and is a highly desirable acquisition for collectors of 20th Century design.
French Atelier, circa 1948 to 1956
Handcrafted tortoiseshell patterned acetate with integrated brass rims.
Private collection. No signs of previous ownership or wear.
Rare
Ref B403