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Up for sale is an authentic, rare pair of vintage Bausch & Lomb "ARCO" shooter style aviator sunglasses, dating from the 1940s . This pair features highly desirable military/government contract markings and is a fantastic find for militaria, sniper, or vintage tactical eyewear collectors.
Key Features & Markings:
• Tactical Shooter Style Build: Designed in the classic rugged shooter style layout, featuring the rigid brow/sweat bar and flexible cable wire temple hooks built to stay locked in place under heavy movement or recoil.
• Double Lens "D-H" Etchings: Features the famous, thick Bausch & Lomb green mineral glass lenses. Both lenses feature the authentic, vintage hand-etched "D-H" inspector marks near the top inner corners—visible in the macro photos. This pre-dates the standard laser-etched "BL" logos used in later decades.
• "D-H" Frame Stamping: The top cross-bridge is cleanly stamped "D-H" on the left and "20" on the right (indicating a 20mm bridge size). The "D-H" designation stands for Department of Health / military medical supply procurement.
• The "ARCO" Stamp: Deeply engraved on the inner metal core of the flexible cable temple ear hooks.
Condition Report:
These sunglasses are being sold in honest, unpolished, "as-found" vintage condition. The frames exhibit a beautiful, genuine dark patina and oxidation from age, giving them a rugged, battlefield look. The flexible cable temples are intact. Please review all photos carefully to inspect the detailed close-ups of the frame finish and the clean glass lenses.
(Note for collectors: As is common with authentic vintage military/government contract variants, this pair features the official 'D-H' contract and size stamps rather than standard civilian '12k GF' commercial retail markings.)
Will be packed with extreme care to ensure the glass lenses arrive safely. Please ask any questions before offerding or purchasing!
• Brand: Bausch & Lomb
• Style: Aviator / Outdoorsman (Shooter variant)
• Frame Color: Gold / Bronze (With natural vintage patina)
• Lens Color: Green (Classic B&L RB-3 mineral glass)
• Frame Material: Metal
• Lens Technology: Glass, G-15/RB-3 Calobar non-gradient
• Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
• Theme: Military / WWII / 1940s / 1950s
• Bridge Size: 20mm (As stamped on the top bar)
