Mother-of-pearl, brass, glass, paint Gift of Rosemary Krensky 93.42
This French made mother-of-pearl opera glasses were owned by Rosa Waterman Bock, the grandmother of Rosemary Krensky who donated the glasses to Spertus. The Krensky’s are a prominent family in Chicago whose lineage can be traced back to the seventeenth century. Heavily involved in national and international affairs, charities, and organizations, the Krensky’s have a long history of civil service and leadership in Chicago and abroad.
As leaders in the Chicago Jewish community, the Krensky family played a major role in the development of Spertus College and their objects highlight their importance here at Spertus. Many of the items donated by the Krensky’s were from Rosa’s husband, Louis Bock’s, import business, highlighting the Krensky’s international involvement. The opera glasses, made by Lemaire Paris in the Lorgnette style, which features a handle on one side, highlight an air of class, exclusivity, and desirability. Glasses made by Pierre Lemaire were the first refined and fashionable opera glasses made publicly available and were highly en vogue at the time. Since these were imported through Louis Block’s business, these glasses were extremely valuable and coveted. As demonstrated by their elaborate construction, the ornate glasses are meant to be seen rather than to aid the owner in seeing. However, the opera glasses provide a rare look into the private lives of a very public-oriented family.
