Trade card for John Yarwell, optician, London, England, 1697

Trade card: John Yarwell, at the Archimedes and 3 pair of Golden Spectacles in Ludgate Street, the Shop next Ludgate, London, Makes True Spectacles and other optical instruments.1697. (Calv. 461)

John Yarwell was an English optician working in London from 1671 to 1708. This trade card advertises spectacle frames made from horn, steel, silver, tortoiseshell and leather. Yarwell’s clients were wealthy and could afford these luxury materials. Like most other opticians of the time, Yarwell also made telescopes, microscopes and thermometers. It was not unusual for opticians to make instruments such as these, which required highly ground lenses, as this was a skill that spectacle makers had acquired and developed in the course of their day to day work.