19th-Century Lemière Mother-of-Pearl Opera Glasses - Pre-Lemaire Era, Paris Opticien Fabt

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An exceptionally rare piece of Parisian optical history, these stunning Lemière opera glasses are marked with the revered address 5 … Read more An exceptionally rare piece of Parisian optical history, these stunning Lemière opera glasses are marked with the revered address 5 Avenue de l’Opéra Paris, placing them at the cultural heart of 19th-century France. Featuring the engraving "Lemière Opticien Fabt", they were produced by an optical maker with roots tracing back to a documented 1825 French optical patent, which predates the formation of the better-known Lemaire company by over two decades.

Unlike the more commonly found Lemaire Fabt Paris models (which began production in 1847), Lemière-branded opera glasses are extremely scarce, with few documented examples surviving today. These represent not only a utilitarian theater tool but also a collectible object of historical craftsmanship.

Highlights include:

Elegant mother-of-pearl inlays

A clean, bright silver-tone frame, likely nickel-plated over brass

Smooth-functioning center focus wheel

Crisp, legible original markings including “Opticien Fabt” (short for “fabricant” or “maker”)


The 5 Avenue de l’Opéra inscription further authenticates this as a luxury piece retailed just steps from the famed Palais Garnier, where such glasses would have been the mark of a fashionable Parisian. See less