Driving north from L.A. on Monday, I decided to take a short detour through Calabasas, about 15 minutes off the 405 along the Ventura Fwy. My destination: Tart Optical HQ.
We were sitting in Langer's Deli that morning, drinking egg creams and savouring the divine #19 in all it's sacred glory, when I suddenly had an epiphany. I recounted a weekend last fall during a roadtrip along the 101 when we'd stopped off at Allyn Scura, a vintage frame shop in Sebastopol. I was admiring a rather pricey pair of deadstock Arnels and conversing with the well-informed proprietor who'd mentioned that another vintage eyewear dealer based in LA had recently bought the rights and original designs to the Tart company after it's founder's passing several years ago. I recalled that their production was handled in Japan at the time, but their main corporate offices were based out of Calabass, just north of L.A. I decided to pull out my phone and give them a call. 45 minutes later, we were sitting in a coffee shop with the owner, his wife and two children and a briefcase full of specs!
We talked a lot about the history of the company and the owners desire to stay true to it's heritage without any modernization, which was evident from the samples I was shown. We compared vintage frames to their current production and they showed me pictures from their archives of vintage Harold Lloyd type frames dating back to the early 1930's and described prototype models from the '50s that had never been manufactured which they'd love to eventually "reintroduce". They talked about the difficulties of breaking the Asian market and the irony of the wholesale Japanese import of American culture which is only appreciated when sold back to us at a premium by foreign heritage brands. They're now producing all of their eyewear in Italy and I can attest to the fact that it's 100% spot-on with regards to the original designs and detailings. Currently, Tart Optical frames are only being distributed in Europe and Asia but they should be available in retail outlets Stateside later next year. I ended up leaving with a new pair of brown smoke Arnels and glossy black F.D.R.'s which are being fitted with lenses this afternoon. Photos to follow later this week. It turned out to be an expensive detour but a big payoff, I'm very excited!
Thoroughly exciting.
bah - I was hoping to see opticals of some tarts!
Tartoptical.com
Thanks Stan - you da man! That style has been appropriated in recent years by quite a few eyewear purveyors. They certainly look great on Dean - but as always results may vary depending on the face.
blame it on dieworkwear! actually I don't know much about eyeglasses, I've never worn them ... I only wear sunglasses, plain old Ray-Bans mostly ... so these fancy specs are kind of new to me ..... good hunting though, Oliver ......
I should have taken photos from our actual meeting. We were sitting in a suburban cafe with a briefcase laid out across the table and about 25 frames spread around, including rare vintage models from the 1940's, '50's, and '60's, archival photos and designs. It was very cool. I'll post some detailed pics when I get the frames back this week but it's the same thing that you can see online and on their website. I think Wooly has a vintage pair of Arnels so maybe he can post some comparative shots for reference. Personally, I'd much prefer to have the real deal with functional rivets than the cheaper knockoffs with the glued on trims. I'd also rather support a 60+ year old American company who is making an effort to uphold quality and maintain consistency towards their heritage without succumbing to updated fashions and modernizations; that's a rare thing in the 21st Century. Why support a cheaper knock-off brand in this day and age when you have an original company who's stayed true to their roots and traditions, trying to stay afloat amidst a sea of cheaper brand rip-offs? There aren't that many of us out there (at least within this country) who care enough to obsess over quality of craftsmanship and details. I'd rather pay a bit more to support a business who's doing things right. Just my 2 cents.
Last edited by Oliver (2014-07-09 09:48:38)
PS - You'll notice the AS Legends (Arnel knock-offs) are made in Japan. Tart moved their production to Italy because they weren't satisfied with the product they received in their first few runs which undoubtedly comes out of the same factory as all the other cheaper Japanese immitations. They said that the language barrier made communication difficult and the detailing was ever so slightly off when compared to their vintage stock. This might not matter to the majority, but it was enough to have them ship their production over to Italy. Tart Optical are not making exact replicas, they're continuing to manufacture the exact same eyewear that has been produced for decades.
I thought Legends are not Arnel's?
I thought Arnel's are the Tart style i.e. this:
http://allynscura.com/products/tart-arnel-reproduction
As opposed to this:
http://allynscura.com/products/ase-legend-031-05
?
Also I notice Moscot claim the throne to be the originators of the style too, with their Lemtosh:
https://www.moscot.com/lemtosh_117.html
They've been around since the late 1800s/early 1900s in New York.
Hepcat, you're right man. At least about the Allyn Scura models.
I don't really know anything about Moscot although I've seen a pair online with cheap looking flat rivets and I find their claim to be dubious at best if they indeed are suggesting they're originators of the style. It certainly doesn't translate in the vintage market when you look at what's historically been on offer or the prices they command. Regardless of how long they've been in business, the particular style is distinctly a product of the 1940's and by all accounts, seems to have originated with Tart.
To be honest, I at first thought it was the Lemtosh style i.e. Moscot who were the originators, but then all the historical references I have come across refer to them as Tart and Arnel.
I tried the Lemtosh frames, but they gave me this sort of soft, New Englandy, bookish, Harry Potter sort of vibe, which I didn't like. They're a little too round for my face me thinks. I prefer to look like an asshole.
I used to sell moscot lemtosh frames (before the online market became saturated with fakes) and they're just not worth it. Made in China with glued on rivets and horribly over-priced to provide that 'exclusive' air.
Any tart fan worth their salt know one of the best arnel repros is the dolabany Arnold. (Supposedly) made in usa with real, functional rivets. Bit hard to find but they last for years, unlike the lemtosh.
Never tried the new tart arnel. I was put off a few years ago by their 'no returns, no exchanges' policey. Bit rich considering how much they cost. Not sure if that's changed now they're a bigger company.
Last edited by Don (2014-07-09 14:54:45)
Mine are the Dolabany's and they're are exellent: a tortoise shell and black pair.
The lens size are smaller in the black - a 44mm rather than a 46mm and they're the best fit and look.
In my experience - some spectacles look better in smaller sizes - particularly roundish ones.
Beautiful!
Here's one of the great un-sung spectacle heroes, who should be up there with James Dean and Johnny Depp, not to mention Shuron hero, Malcolm X:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDMOkgSdy3E
Willie 'The Lion' Smith
^
True. He wore an American Optical variation I believe. But Shuron introduced the style.