拍品 4007 - A211 Out of This World - Dienstag, 03. Dezember 2024, 05.00 PM
GLASS EYE DISPLAY CASE
France, 1880
Wood, glass, various semi-precious stones, silicone
121.5 × 82 × 10 cm
Wood, glass, various semi-precious stones, silicone
121.5 × 82 × 10 cm
The earliest known prosthetic eye was found buried with a woman who lived from 2800–2900 BC in Shahr-I Sokhta, Iran. It was probably made of bitumen paste which was covered with a thin layer of gold, and engraved with a central iris from which lines radiated like the rays of the golden sun.
Over the next 4 000 years, this rudimentary technique of making ocular prosthetics evolved considerably. In 1880, Hermann Snellen, a Dutch eye surgeon, developed the ‘Reform’ eye, a hollow glass prosthetic with rounded edges. These were of more voluminous shape than the earlier shell-like glass eyes and facilitated the restoration of socket volume while improving wearing comfort. Interestingly, both of these types of prosthetics, old and new, can be found in the display case presented here.
The man who created this fascinating piece of medical history, Dr Robert Coulomb, was one of the leading specialists of his time. He was a developer of new techniques, and author of various books and texts.
This case was an early advertising medium for his practice. It even contained the prosthetic eye of Leo Gambetta, co-founder of the French Third Republic and one of the most important political figures in 19th-century France. One could hardly have found a better testimonial at the time!
Over the next 4 000 years, this rudimentary technique of making ocular prosthetics evolved considerably. In 1880, Hermann Snellen, a Dutch eye surgeon, developed the ‘Reform’ eye, a hollow glass prosthetic with rounded edges. These were of more voluminous shape than the earlier shell-like glass eyes and facilitated the restoration of socket volume while improving wearing comfort. Interestingly, both of these types of prosthetics, old and new, can be found in the display case presented here.
The man who created this fascinating piece of medical history, Dr Robert Coulomb, was one of the leading specialists of his time. He was a developer of new techniques, and author of various books and texts.
This case was an early advertising medium for his practice. It even contained the prosthetic eye of Leo Gambetta, co-founder of the French Third Republic and one of the most important political figures in 19th-century France. One could hardly have found a better testimonial at the time!
CHF 3 000 / 5 000 | (€ 3 090 / 5 150)