A lorgnette is a pair of spectacles with a handle, used to hold them in place, rather than fitting over the ears. They were invented by an Englishman named George Adams. The lorgnette was usually used as a piece of jewelry, rather than to enhance vision. Fashionable ladies usually preferred them to spectacles. These were very popular at masquerade parties and used often at the opera (becoming the model for today's fancier opera glasses). They were worn popularly in the 19th century.
