Most items used by the enslaved were owned by their masters. The few possessions they were able to call their own were usually handmade in what little time they had to themselves. These eyeglasses were most likely purchased by the master of the slaves Rhoda and Esther so that they could better perform their work.  Green tinted lenses came into use in the late 17th century. They provided comfort and sunshade and were considered to be beneficial for the eyes.  Other possessions, such as the rag doll "Topsy," and Cuff Smith's flour scoop, might be found in the slaves' quarters.

Image: Eyeglasses used by Rhoda and Esther, slaves in the family of David Brooks, ca. 1804. Courtesy Stratford Connecticut Historical Society, Stratford, Connecticut.