A pair of reading glasses once owned by Sir Winston Churchill has been sold at auction for £6,000. The round-rimmed tortoiseshell spectacles were crafted for the wartime prime minister by London opticians C W Dixey and Sons.
The glasses were among three pairs of Churchill's spectacles that remained in the family's possession upon his death. One pair was donated to his Kent home, Chartwell, while another was sold in 2011. The latest pair was auctioned at Farleigh Golf Club in Surrey.
Dixey and Sons stated: 'Usually three pairs of spectacles were made to Churchill's prescription and kept at the Cavendish Square showroom, later the Wigmore Street practice.' The glasses had been loaned to the previous owner, also an optician, who was developing a range inspired by Churchill.
Churchill’s glasses were distinguished by metal dots on the frame: one dot for reading, two for speeches. He also had separate spectacles for sketching, painting, and card playing.
