Spectacles in Japan

Greetings All,

Me and mine over here in England are re-enacting Japan 1543-1640, during
which period I know the Europeans had spectacles, but when did such
devices arrive or evolve in Japan.

One of our members really needs his spec's and can't get on with contact
lenses and we'd prefer a historical solution. I understand that the
lenses of the era were designed to correct short sightedness, for
reading purposes only, but period frames with modern lenses would be
infinitely better than the two alternatives: modern glasses or nothing
at all, one blind player is enough:-) (me that is).

Any help would be much appreciated.

Yours

Dean
***
Dean Wayland
Head Of The Fight School
http://www.thefightschool.demon.co.uk

>
>Hi Dean,

There's a very good book called The Lens within the Heart by Timon
Screech (CUP 1996 Curzon 2002) which gives lots of information about
spectacles in Japan. The first pair of glasses was said to have been
given to Ieyasu at the turn of the 16th c. In 1636 spectacles accounted
for one percent of Dutch-Japanese trade: 19,425 pairs. They may not
have been very comfortable to wear. An encyclopaedia in 1732
describes them: "glasses are about 3mm thick and look like the slices
of giant radish." Mainly it seems these were heavy ones put on by seal
carvers, inlayers etc to look closely at things. In former times they
came from China. Light glass lensed sort came from Europe. This
book has various illustrations of people wearing glasses.

Professor Screech is in London, at the School of Oriental and African
studies, and everything I've ever written by him is marvellous, full of
insights. If you are in England you might be able to find out more.

Hope this is of some help.

Gillian>

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Hi Gillian,

Terrific, just what I needed thank you:-) I'll be ordering a copy ASAP.

Co-incidentally, on Sunday I visited a re-enactors market, where by
chance there was a new stand, specialising in 16th and 17th century
reproduction spectacles, although he could not tell me anything about
glasses in Japan, he was very helpful with regard to the European forms.

So once I've done my reading, and no doubt a trip down to SOAS etc. I'm
sure we'll be able to sort out all our spectacle problems. Thank you
again Gillian.

Yours

Dean
***

In message , Gillian Rubinstein <gillian@...> writes

> >
> >Hi Dean,
>
> There's a very good book called The Lens within the Heart by Timon
> Screech (CUP 1996 Curzon 2002) which gives lots of information
> about
> spectacles in Japan. The first pair of glasses was said to have
> been
> given to Ieyasu at the turn of the 16th c.  In 1636 spectacles
> accounted
> for one percent of Dutch-Japanese trade: 19,425 pairs. They may not
> have been very comfortable to wear. An encyclopaedia in 1732
> describes them: "glasses are about 3mm thick and look like the
> slices
> of giant radish." Mainly it seems these were heavy ones put on by
> seal
> carvers, inlayers etc to look closely at things. In former times
> they
> came from China. Light glass lensed sort came from Europe.  This
> book has various illustrations of  people wearing glasses.
>
> Professor Screech is in London, at the School of Oriental and
> African
> studies, and everything I've ever written by him is marvellous,
> full of
> insights. If you are in England you might be able to find out more.
>
> Hope this is of some help.
>
> Gillian>

Dean Wayland
Head Of The Fight School
http://www.thefightschool.demon.co.uk