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This piece is part of the sold-out Optical Release 001.
Tart Optical
Tart Optical Vintage Arnel — Demi Amber
Circa 1950s · comparative attribution
An original mid-century Tart Optical Arnel in Demi Amber, in the sought-after compact 44–22 configuration. This example brings together the OTE shield, imperial 5¾ temple marking, diamond-shaped front and temple rivets, and substantial seven-barrel hinges. Rich chocolate-brown mottling opens into translucent honey amber across a sculpted keyhole-bridge front: the material and construction that give an early Arnel its unmistakable character.
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Ask the Private Desk →The details
- Maker / origin
- Tart Optical
- Period
- Circa 1950s · comparative attribution
- Recorded details
- Size 44–22
- Collection number
- RGS–01
- Model
- Arnel
- Colour
- Demi Amber / amber tortoise
- Frame-size markings
- 44 and 22
- Temple marking
- 5¾
- Maker’s device
- OTE shield
- Hinges
- Seven-barrel construction
- Rivets
- Diamond-shaped front and temple rivets
- Bridge
- Keyhole
- Lens presentation
- Clear lenses fitted
The acetate
Demi amber is the defining material feature of this Arnel. Dense chocolate-brown passages alternate with glowing amber at the bridge, lower rims and temples. The pattern follows the thickness of the frame: darker at the substantial outer corners, warmer where light passes through the thinner edges. A gently lifted brow, rounded rectangular lens openings and an open keyhole bridge give the compact front its characteristic balance. Diamond-shaped metal rivets punctuate both the front and temples.
Collector’s note
Japanese specialist archives document early-type Demi Amber Arnels with the same 44–22 configuration, OTE shield and imperial temple sizing. Read together with the numeral style and frame construction, those comparisons support a circa-1950s attribution for this example. The interest is in that combination of details, rather than the silhouette alone. Later reproductions can share the Arnel outline; the markings, rivets and hardware of the actual frame are therefore presented for close examination. Comparable archive entries are linked below, with their condition and measurements kept separate from this offering.
In cultural history
The Arnel is closely associated in eyewear history with James Dean and, later, Johnny Depp. Japanese reissue histories explicitly connect Dean with the original Arnel, while Tart Optical’s own published material identifies Depp wearing the model. That cultural lineage helps explain the frame’s enduring recognition. This example is offered for its own period construction and markings; no ownership by either actor is claimed.
Condition & presentation
The acetate retains deep colour, attractive translucency and clearly defined mottling. The metal hinge plates and screws show light surface wear, patina and tool marks visible in the close-ups. No aggressive polishing or refinishing of the hardware has been carried out by the seller. Clear lenses are fitted. The photographs form part of the condition description; the frame is offered as a vintage object, not as new manufacture. Eyewear only; no case is included.
Restoration is carried out with intention by third-party specialists on an as-needed basis, preserving original features and markings as fully as possible. Individual condition notes describe the visible state and any specifically recorded changes.
Related examples & research
Comparative references inform model history and period attribution. They describe other examples, with their own sizes, markings and condition.
Optical Release 001 is complete and every frame has found a home. This page remains as part of the Society's permanent catalogue record. Looking for a related frame? Leave an acquisition alert.
