French bag question (opera glasses)

[amandainvermont]

I want to sell these opera glasses for my 95-year-old step mom. They belonged to her MIL and she was told they came from France. There are quite a few of these on eBay - no doubt because they weren't used that much and were carefully stored.

I would think a plus for these is the beaded draw-string pouch/purse that goes with them. It is lined with red silk, but no labels anywhere. It's quite heavy and sparkly. Are those metal pearl beads? I was thinking these are from around 1900?

 

[poppysvintageclothing]

Those look like steel beads on the purse...do the opera glasses have the name on them? Often these are by Lemaire.

I would say the teens on these.

 

[amandainvermont]

Nope - I don't find any name. Thanks on the steel beads Mary Jane. That makes sense.

 

[cmpollack]

Yes, I was also thinking the purse looked like it had steel beads.

One thing that I'm wondering about--even though your step-mom's MIL may have carried the glasses around in the purse, are you sure they originally came that way? Opera glass cases usually seem to be a more structured, camera-case-looking type of affair.

In that case, the question would be whether to sell glasses/purse together or as two separate items.

(I love these MOP opera glasses--so very pretty!)

 

[poppysvintageclothing]

I would not think that would have been the original case either, so I don't know if you would see more money by listing them separately, you might.

 

[amandainvermont]

You know... I'm feeling lazy and I think you ladies are probably correct - the bag and the glasses are not an original pair ... but - I just don't feel up to taking more pix ... My step-mom wants $100 for the glasses - so I'll just pop the grouping into my store and see if there are any bites. Thanks!

 

[avamac]

It's great that they have their original lorgnette handle, which is usually missing. I've been told that they were originally VERY expensive....another clue to why they were saved.

 

[poppysvintageclothing]

Good point, Maryalice, as lorngettes always do better than just opera glasses.

 

[kaleidoscopecarousel]

I was watching some British tv show where they send some people out to flea markets and such and then see how good the sales they found were... anyways, in one of the episodes, a pair of ladies got some opera glasses and the guy told them that they werent big sellers anymore, that not many people collect these opera glasses.
I, myself think they are fabulous!!!! If I was a collector of any sort of stuff like that, I would be biting!!! Good luck!