Willson Service Goggles. Issued or Private Purchase?

[Rabaul]

Hi All,

I have a pair of US 'Willson Service Goggles'. The paper in the tin says 'Patented Dec. 14, 1915' and 'Pat. App. For...'; I know other examples have a 1917 and 1918 Pat. date listed, so I assume mine are from between 1915 and 1917.

I was surprised at the lack of information about these.

Were they ever issued by the Government/military? Or was the 'Service' moniker just a sales ploy aimed at service men as a privately purchased item?

Has anyone got images of these being worn by servicemen in WWI or earlier? Or any other information?

They have a spare pair of amber lenses with them.

Cheers

Steve

[MAP]

Very neat Goggles.

Never seen these before. I would tend to believe that these were private purchase items. But can't say for sure.

[Rabaul]

Thanks MAP,

Yes looks like perhaps they are Willson's 'Style M1' as advertised in this 1913 catalogue (courtesy of University of Michigan) , which had a 'cable temple' and 'M1 with Head Band' version. So looks like the 'Willson Service Goggles' were a wartime renaming to sell industrial safety goggles to servicemen?

I've seen various vendors refer to them as war-time Calvary, Aviation, Tank and Motorcycle Goggles. As private purchase I can believe they may have been used by all of those, but it would be great to see period images of guys wearing them in those roles. I tend to save any decent images of WWI era eyewear and looking through those I cant readily see these goggles in use, but would welcome any if they are out there.

A couple of details, the E1 Style is the elasticated headband type. E2 were sprung 'cable temples' (temples is the proper name for spectacle's arms). Again not certain, but it looks like pre and post WWI Willson goggle cases tended to be an Ivy-green with bright yellow writing, the War-time 'Service Goggles' were drab brown/green and had black writing.

[Rabaul]

Here is a 1918 catalogue.



The 'Service Goggles' are absent and the you can see the bright lettering on the cases. The Universal Goggle is closest.

Here is a 1921 advertisement.



Looks like the headband E1 is now the 'Style S11' . 'for chipping and other extra hazardous work'.

[MAP]

Good detective work!

[Rabaul]

It looks like starting from ~1915 Willson marketed their E2 and E1 (their M1 and M1 with headband, of c.1913?) as ‘Willson Service Goggles’ to attract private customers looking for eye protection during potential military service as WWI kicked-off in Europe.

After the war this style (cable templed and elastic headband versions) seems to have again become a general purpose industrial goggle.

By ~1920, however, Willson were offering their most popular A1 ‘Albex Eye Protector’ as their ‘Military Goggle’.

Below is the ‘Descriptive Sheet’ from a C.1920 Willson Goggles counter-top display cabinet. Although difficult to read the far right lower pane states that at this time the Willson ‘Style A1’ or ‘Albex Eye Protector’ was their ‘Military Goggles’. It describes them as ‘metal frames with patented adjustable bridge, and large round lenses 17/8” diameter. Leather side shields effectively protect the eyes from all dust and glare’ (unlike the WWI era E1 and E2 ‘Willson Service Goggles’ which had metal side shields). Near the bottom of the ‘Military Goggle’ pane it says ‘This goggle is preferred for military use and accepted by the British and United States Governments’.

[Rabaul]

The reference to Britain is interesting as from the 1920s the Air Ministry were issuing ‘Anti-Glare Spectacles, Type E2’ very much like Willson Albex Eye Protectors, but with two malleable bridge pieces.

So an answer to my question would be the 1915-1918 'Willson Service Goggles' and from ~1920 on 'Willson Albex Goggles' were deliberately marketed as private purchase military goggles. But there is no evidence they ever became official US issue.

But in Britain a clone of the Willson Albex became the RAFs Government issued 'Anti-glare Spectacles', issued from the 1920s until update during WWII.

[Rabaul]

Last post I promise!

Issued RAF Air Ministry 'Spectacles Anti-Glare, Type E2'. Pilot photo 1920s. Were they derived from Willsons? Compare case with first image in this thread.

[Rabaul]

I should never say last post!

I have noticed that often the wrong style of goggle is put into the military marketed 'Willson Service Goggles' or 'Albex' cases. Below is a small illustration of the salient points to look for if authenticity is wanted.

(A note on the RAF E2 Anti-Glare Spectacles. From ~1917 all British military goggles tended to have laminated glass, originally based on Triplex Safety Glass models, but the policy extended to the WWII MkIV to MkVIII goggles. The E2 Anti-Glare Spectacles were no different, which had laminated lenses. Hence they are an adaption of the Albex goggles not a copy).