{"product_id":"ocularists-glass-eye-cabinet","title":"Ocularist's Glass Eye Cabinet","description":"Ocularist's Glass Eye Cabinet\u003cbr\u003e 19th Century \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This 19th-century cabinet contains an assortment of 650 individual hand-blown glass eyes. A collection of this magnitude would have resided in the office of a prominent ocularist, someone who specialized in crafting and fitting prosthetic eyes. The mahogany cabinet doors, adorned with a pair of carved eyelids and glass eyes, open to reveal ten shelves, each fitted with 65 eyes carefully stored in original red baize lining. Organized by iris color and other distinctive features, this collection is a fascinating scientific rarity. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Precision was paramount for ocularists to match the unique dimensions of each individual's eye socket. Variations in size, iris color, thickness and shape all necessitated skilled painting and craftsmanship, resulting in glass eyes of remarkable realism and individuality. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The development of realistic glass eyes is often traced to 16th-century Venetian glassmakers, who pioneered techniques for creating lifelike ocular prostheses. Though early iterations were delicate, later French and German ocularists advanced the field by utilizing innovative glass, resulting in durable and lifelike eye prosthetics. From the 16th to 19th centuries, Paris emerged as the hub of artificial eye production. Exceptionally thin enamel glass and glass shells such as these were ingeniously designed to cover atrophied eyes, setting the field’s standard of excellence. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 54\" high x 22 1\/2\" wide x 17 1\/4\" deep","brand":"M.S. Rau","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45257363849351,"sku":"32-2602","price":88500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/2471\/0466\/files\/32-2602_1.png?v=1784236839","url":"https:\/\/rauantiques.com\/products\/ocularists-glass-eye-cabinet","provider":"M.S. Rau","version":"1.0","type":"link"}