Spectacles And Other Vision AIDS

[Husker]

went searching for hallmarks on GF glasses, and stumbled across this online book preview. Lot of information in the book, but I still have not found what the hallmark "Frame France 20/000 14k Gold filled" means. I have a feeling it is 20 micron 14k filled. but not sure. Just wish I knew how many microns 1/10 and 1/20 GF were for eyeglass frame thickness material, but I suspect 40 to 60 micron.

Oh, back to topic, here is the book link

http://books.google.com/books?id=lp4LAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA15&lpg=PA15&dq=Gold+filled+eyeglass+frame+hallmark&source=web&ots=R_nEgS1CCK&sig=Az2fNFsWBewIqeoTXNhwfr4C77s&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA26,M1

 

[Harold_V]

I don't have a clue, either, but that's the marking I recall, but never understood. You don't see many frames marked that way anymore, either. Grab them if they're reasonably priced. I'd expect anything under $1 would be good.

I used to pay as little as 10¢!

Those were the days! :wink:

Harold

 

[Husker]

I was using a dollar value myself. So at least I am in the ball park

I have been putting values of about $6 for better 1/10 12k specs and 4-5 for 1/2 frame 1/10 12k or where there is ear wear. That seems to be pretty close to 50% of expected marked value. If something is heavy wear, I simply walk on by.

It is these newer (non-antique) ones that are giving me trouble. Just not sure how to compute what the theoretical "new" value would be. But I "think" the 20 micron guess is right. I think the 20/000 is 20/1000 of a millimeter. I bet on glass frames, that translates to about 1/20 to 1/30 (new frame of course). Just a WAG, as I have no idea yet. Since all of what I would be getting would be used, and have different amounts of wear. Even if I tried to test the actual filled amount, in end, the best I could do is still a guess, since I only obtain an unknown percentage of the gold that the glasses were originally filled with.

But I also figure, you can't go wrong with a single dollar value, if the gold is not worn off.

Jim.