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Four decades after the trade in tortoiseshell was banned under the 1973 CITES convention, the fourth-generation family firm, Maison Bonnet, sees itself as custodian of a rare craft, fashioning made-to-measure spectacles from stocks amassed before the ban.
Frames made by these artisans isn't an easy or an inexpensive process. Depending on the material, frames from Maison Bonnet can cost hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars and require a series of interviews and fittings.
Frames made by these artisans isn't an easy or an inexpensive process. Depending on the material, frames from Maison Bonnet can cost hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars and require a series of interviews and fittings.
Four decades after the trade in tortoiseshell was banned under the 1973 CITES convention, the fourth-generation family firm, Maison Bonnet, sees itself as custodian of a rare craft, fashioning made-to-measure spectacles from stocks amassed before the ban.
Frames made by these artisans isn't an easy or an inexpensive process. Depending on the material, frames from Maison Bonnet can cost hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars and require a series of interviews and fittings.
Frames made by these artisans isn't an easy or an inexpensive process. Depending on the material, frames from Maison Bonnet can cost hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars and require a series of interviews and fittings.
An apprentice prepares a pair of tortoiseshell frames, looking at the turtle-shell's shades at Maison Bonnet's Sens workshop, south of Paris. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images
A pair of tortoiseshell frames and its fact sheet containing the information of the future owner is found in Maison Bonnet's Paris workshop. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images)
Christian Bonnet and his apprentice Daniel work on pairs of tortoiseshell frames in the Maison Bonnet's Sens workshop. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images)
A Maison Bonnet workshop employee works on a pair of tortoiseshell frames. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images)
Franck Bonnet, adjusts a pair of spectacles on a customer in Maison Bonnet's Paris shop. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images)
A pair of $39,000 tortoiseshell spectacles, called pure blond, made by Christian Bonnet in Maison Bonnet's Paris workshop. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images)
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