OHMSS Sunglasses

Gebruder Gumbold

Seen for a brief second during "This Never Happened to the Other Feller" segment, anybody have a definitive make/model of the sunglasses Lazenby wears whilst driving the DBS?
Even a good screen shot will do, or perhaps is there a photo with him wearing those glasses?
It's time for a new prescription....so why not a correct OHMSS pair of glasses?
Thank you collecting bretheren...

Remmert007

Here's a screenshot. I brightened it a bit to see the sunglasses better. Not much to go on unfortunately.

Kittlemeier

This particular one didn't exist during the time of the film, but a good substitute would be the Oliver Peoples Soloist 4 Square. I'd guess the Soloist is based on this type of glass frame.

Here's the Soloist 4 Square. It's also available in tortoise, which the OHMSS frame seems to be.




And on Downey.



But some version of the frame has been made pretty much from then to now. Here's a shot of Anthony Quinn in Revenge, 1989 I think.

Gebruder Gumbold

Well, thank you all for the help!
I will look into this now, and be back w pics.
I appreciate your sage advice, my collecting bretheren!
GG

ps The whole bloody alp??

Gebruder Gumbold

...Any ideas on the road atlas??
Being serious here, and I would display it on the front seat of my DBS.
Thank you

Flighty

Great reply, I love the film revenge and wanted a set just like them so thanks for this!!

Kittlemeier wrote:

This particular one didn't exist during the time of the film, but a good substitute would be the Oliver Peoples Soloist 4 Square. I'd guess the Soloist is based on this type of glass frame.

Here's the Soloist 4 Square. It's also available in tortoise, which the OHMSS frame seems to be.




And on Downey.



But some version of the frame has been made pretty much from then to now. Here's a shot of Anthony Quinn in Revenge, 1989 I think.

barracuda

Small point, but I think they are driving glasses rather than sunglasses, used to enhance vision in low light conditions.

Thunderpussy

Agreed, I remember seeing them being advertised in the back of many of
the Sunday newspapers, when I was a boy. along with driving gloves etc.

CarsonDyle

On the subject of frames anybody know what brand these ones might be?

Donald Grant

Good question. Many companies make a round frame. However, I would go for a British company.

Anglo American Optical has the model 400:

http://angloamericanopticalltd.com/all-glasses/model-400/

Anglo American May also have a version of the Bond OHMSS driving glasses. I have not checked to confirm this.

There is also C.W. Dixey & Son worn by Winston Churchill. A Bond connection is that Ian Fleming also wore C.W. Dixey although not the round frames. C.W. Dixey also has Royal Warrants, has been worn by artists and writers, as well as other heads of state. Here is the Chartwell 01, one of the frames favored by Churchill:

http://cwdixeyandson.com/range.php

Ian Fleming's sight card:

http://cwdixeyandson.com/artists.php

DG

Kittlemeier

CarsonDyle wrote:

On the subject of frames anybody know what brand these ones might be?

DG is right, several companies make a nice round frame. I'm lucky to have a great optician pretty close in Atlanta who has a huge selection of round plastics including Anglo American, Schnuchel, LaFont, etc. They also have a fully custom line by Lawrence Jenkin who used to be with Anglo. Schnuchel is a company I've had good luck with for vintage style frames. Well fitted, comfortable, and they will alter their existing designs for eye size, bridge width, etc. Wasn't quite as impressed with Anglo American frames but they are good for the money. The yellow tortoise and black frames in this pic are Shnuchel, the brown are Anglo.

Donald Grant wrote:

Good question. Many companies make a round frame. However, I would go for a British company.

Anglo American Optical has the model 400:

http://angloamericanopticalltd.com/all-glasses/model-400/

Anglo American May also have a version of the Bond OHMSS driving glasses. I have not checked to confirm this.

There is also C.W. Dixey & Son worn by Winston Churchill. A Bond connection is that Ian Fleming also wore C.W. Dixey although not the round frames. C.W. Dixey also has Royal Warrants, has been worn by artists and writers, as well as other heads of state. Here is the Chartwell 01, one of the frames favored by Churchill:

http://cwdixeyandson.com/range.php

Ian Fleming's sight card:

http://cwdixeyandson.com/artists.php

DG

There are several good British frame companies but I wouldn't count out some other countries for frames. Anglo American, Opera Opera, Premiere Optical are some popular British companies and the last two will custom make the glasses if you want. There's an American company called Indivijual Eyewear that custom makes frames also. Although pricey, they start from the ground up with a mold of your nose and several measurements to make a perfect fit. Schnuchel is German. Oliver Peoples are made in Japan. Those are a couple of my favorites.

Keep in mind, true round glasses are hard to pull off if you don't have the right look and personality for them. Plenty sitting in desk drawers seldom worn.

I actually looked through AA's site and they don't have anything right now like the OHMSS frame. Having said that, if they had it in the past they'd probably be willing to make you one. They used to do custom orders just a few years ago and may still.

Here are a couple of my custom/semi-custom frames to hopefully give you an idea of finish.

Lawrence Jenkin frame. This half hex round is my favorite shape for frames. Still trying to find the perfect one.



Schnuchel frame. Crappy pic. Hard to tell it's a matte finish and I have the same one in a polished finish also. Luckily I've got a good vision plan.

Donald Grant

The reason I say it should be a British frame is because early Bond movies generally used British made products for Bond. Anthony Sinclair suits, John Lobb shoes, Dunhill lighter, Bentley, Aston Martin, etc. I know it's Bond under cover as Hilary Bray, but Bray would definitely have a British frame too. Today's Bond is different. Bond wears Tom Ford for crying out loud!

I happen to wear Anglo Americans as my reading glasses. But I prefer the very preppy model 406, having the so called P3 shape. I likewise have a pair of Savile Row Pantos in Demi blonde, again P3 shape. I also wear the Moscot Lemtosh and just got a pair of Tart Arnels, the Arnel 55's to be exact. Said to be the glasses worn by James Dean.

DG

CarsonDyle

Wow, amazing feedback. More than I would have dared hope for. Thanks guys. If I remember correctly, when Blofeld breaks the glasses, we can see that the arms of the frames are straight, lacking bends for behind the ears.

Donald Grant

Just found these on the Berkshire Chase website, U.S. distributors for Savile Row eyeglasses. They look like the glasses worn by Lazenby as Bond driving the DBS.

http://berkshirechase.com/pages/glasses/james_black.html

DG

Edit - Also in honey tortoise:

http://berkshirechase.com/pages/glasses/james_tortoise.html

Kittlemeier

Donald Grant wrote:

The reason I say it should be a British frame is because early Bond movies generally used British made products for Bond. Anthony Sinclair suits, John Lobb shoes, Dunhill lighter, Bentley, Aston Martin, etc. I know it's Bond under cover as Hilary Bray, but Bray would definitely have a British frame too. Today's Bond is different. Bond wears Tom Ford for crying out loud!

I happen to wear Anglo Americans as my reading glasses. But I prefer the very preppy model 406, having the so called P3 shape. I likewise have a pair of Savile Row Pantos in Demi blonde, again P3 shape. I also wear the Moscot Lemtosh and just got a pair of Tart Arnels, the Arnel 55's to be exact. Said to be the glasses worn by James Dean.

DG

I get you on the brands but the British eyewear industry just doesn't do as much as it used to.

I like the 406. It's similar to my OP O'Malley and the Lafont Jupiter(which is beautiful in their 330 tortoise).

I also have the Algha/Savile Row panto in demi-blonde/gold and chestnut/rhodium. If you haven't seen it in the chestnut/silver, it's very striking. Had an issue with Berkshire Chase though when they sent me a Savile Row frame front but with non rolled gold temples. If I hadn't already had the demi blonde I wouldn't have noticed the difference. They made it right but it left me with a bad taste for them. The company that I purchased them through was very unhappy as they had been charged full price for a gold filled frame and temples, of which they only got the front.





And how they should have been from the get go. Gold - 47, Rhodium - 45



I like the Tart Arnel but it just doesn't work for me. Jere Burns wore the black/clear combo with a rose lens very well on Burn Notice. Suited him well unlike say Johnny Depp.

CarsonDyle wrote:

Wow, amazing feedback. More than I would have dared hope for. Thanks guys. If I remember correctly, when Blofeld breaks the glasses, we can see that the arms of the frames are straight, lacking bends for behind the ears.

Opera Opera has a ton of different round designs. Different bridges, gauges, colors, finishes, etc. They have several with bayonet(straight) temples.

http://www.operaopera.net/page7.htm

Donald Grant wrote:

Just found these on the Berkshire Chase website, U.S. distributors for Savile Row eyeglasses. They look like the glasses worn by Lazenby as Bond driving the DBS.

http://berkshirechase.com/pages/glasses/james_black.html

DG

Edit - Also in honey tortoise:

http://berkshirechase.com/pages/glasses/james_tortoise.html

Very nice find. Didn't know Algha did strictly acetate frames. Guess they've expanded. Premiere Optical, who only make acetate frames, makes or did make bespoke frames for Berkshire. You can see their work under the bespoke tab at BC.

I don't think you can order directly from BC, at least you couldn't five or so years ago. I've had great luck with eyeglass.com, who deals with them. Very quick turnaround, great service, and they'll special order frames that aren't listed on their site.

Gebruder Gumbold

Ok, my oculist has contacted several eyeglass reps who deal with vintage eyewear. Came up with this design, and it looks to me as if the shape is spot on, especially with the barrel hinges, however, the colour looks a bit light.
Hard to tell from the screenshot that I have.
Any ideas? What do my brethren think?
Thank you!

Kittlemeier

Gebruder Gumbold wrote:

Ok, my oculist has contacted several eyeglass reps who deal with vintage eyewear. Came up with this design, and it looks to me as if the shape is spot on, especially with the barrel hinges, however, the colour looks a bit light.
Hard to tell from the screenshot that I have.
Any ideas? What do my brethren think?
Thank you!

Wouldn't worry about the color being too light as you're comparing a bright studio shot on a white background with a flash to a dark interior shot on black leather with questionable lighting, filters, and post production.

The front shape is good but the temples attach too low. They should be near the top corner. Also, the temples should taper gradually towards the back. These are fairly even until the sharp taper just in front of the ear.

Having said that they'd be a fine substitute. Better than Wayfarers for the Thunderball glasses.

My wife recently found and posted a pic of her grandpa, who just turned one hundred, and her, maybe twenty five years ago or so, and he's wearing a very similar frame. Awesome pic but my head popped right to this thread.