Many plays and novels mention a funny detail - glasses on a stick. But what is it and how to use it? This subject is used to know the past centuries - both men and women. So what are glasses on a stick called, and for what purpose were they used before?
The Origin of the Lornets
What were stick glasses called before? The name of this interesting subject came from France, but in Russian it sounded a little differently. If in France, glasses on a stick were called lornets, in Russia they were called lornets. This item was a kind of optics - glasses with lenses in the frame and a long fixed handle.
According to one version of the origin of the lornets, they appeared back in the 15th century and then resembled inverted glasses that looked like scissors in an open form. At that time, such glasses did not have a handle, so they were quite difficult to use. After some time, the lornets appeared handles, and they began to resemble those devices that are familiar to us.
The mechanism and types of lornets
The mechanism of lornets is quite simple: in the central part of the handle there is a hole where the lenses fall, a ring is attached to the handle, and a chain is attached to the ring. With the help of a chain, lornets can be worn around the neck, so that the glasses are easily accessible. In past centuries, lornets were used by secular people not only for their intended purpose, but also as a stylish accessory.
Now, when we figured out what the glasses are called on a stick, you can find out what they were and how they were used. Rich people of past centuries most often wore this device as an accessory, and not as glasses. Almost all secular lionesses had this optical device, and they took it with them, getting out into the light. With the help of lorgnets, ladies and gentlemen examined the actors on stage and those present in the hall when they visited the theater.
Also, the optical device was used as an object with which gesticulated, and this action became known as lorning.
The use of lornets
Everyone wore this item in different ways. If men wore lornettes in pockets or on a chain that was attached to a vest, then women could use a dress belt, a bracelet on their wrists or a chain around their necks to wear lornets. Before the accessory appeared, ladies carried a variety of fans, which were attached to the wrist or to the waist. After the lornet appeared in everyday life, the ladies began to use it not only in order to better see something or decorate their image, but also in order to flirt with the gentlemen - they carefully looked at men through the lorgnet and thereby showed interest in them.