Another (and hopefully) last Rayban vintage riddle..

[VintageCollector]

Anyone have a clue on what year (like 40s or 70s) these Raybans are from? Model number would be great too if thats possible.

B&L Rayban All-Weather Ambermatic Outdoorsman (Not shooter), Size 58#14, Mineral lens, Original case. (Se pictures attached).

No marking other then B&L Rayban USA on top bridge and size on bottom bridge.

A certified Rayban dealer checked them out and they are genuine (and old) but he could not say year or mod number.

Thanks for any help you could give

[Judy Canty]

My best guess is '70's, primarily because of the photochromic technology. I don't remember any model number from that era. It was known by its name, Outdoorsman.

[CME4SPECS]

The ambermatic lens was introduced in 1974

[rbaker]

I concur, mid seventies. I may still have a B&L posters and pamphlet from during WWII in my archive touting the Outdoorsman and G15 lens being worn by General McArthur.

[optowalt]

b+l shooters. what are you looking for?

[Judy Canty]

It's not a Shooter, it's an Outdoorsman. Shooter has a circle at the bridge.

[CME4SPECS]

It's not a Shooter, it's an Outdoorsman. Shooter has a circle at the bridge.

The nosepads were also lower on the shooter so that the frame sat higher, so the shooter would not be looking at the top of the frame while shooting. The circle was designed for...holding a cigarette!

[VintageCollector]

The model is not the Shooter, like i stated in my first post the mod is B&L Rayban All-Weather Ambermatic Outdoorsman Not shooter, Size 58#14.

My question is from what decade they are from. From your kind help here and a little help from Luxotica/rayban i am thinking early to mid -70s.

Model number seams impossible to find in this case.

[Judy Canty]

Did B&L sunglasses even have model numbers back then? The only B&L model numbers I can remember are the B-31 and B-51. Sunglasses always had names like Wayfarer, Shooter, Outdoorsman, Bewitching, Metal Aviator, Large Metal Aviator, etc. I have an old Rodeo (a P-3 shape) and I remember the Bavaria. Too many years and not enough brain cells, I guess.

[VintageCollector]

Did B&L sunglasses even have model numbers back then? The only B&L model numbers I can remember are the B-31 and B-51. Sunglasses always had names like Wayfarer, Shooter, Outdoorsman, Bewitching, Metal Aviator, Large Metal Aviator, etc. I have an old Rodeo (a P-3 shape) and I remember the Bavaria. Too many years and not enough brain cells, I guess.

You're absolutely right Judy Canty! After talking with B&L tonight (who now days mostly are into making contact lenses) they told me that the B&L from this period in time (on this model and many others) did NOT have a model number. So i was looking in vain .

This forum is really great, so much knowledge!

Thanks Judy

[kat]

It's an Outdoorsman, I have one on my wall. Mine is circa 1976 with the Olympic Logo on the tag.

[VintageCollector]

It's an Outdoorsman

You don't say??!! I was sure they were Wayfarer...

[Mick]

Yes, it's an Outdoorsman model. The Ambermatic turned from the gold/amber to somewhat dark brown in sunlight, then in freezing weather they took on a grayish tint. B&L had a system for cataloging their RayBan line, such as 6A designated a metal RayBan, 57 indicated G-15 lenses, and 07 would indicate the Large (58) Metal frame= 6A5707 was a gold large metal with G-15 lenses. It's been too many years since my B&L days so I dont recall many of the designations. Later they adopted a different method of identifying the glasses, such as L9887 may have been the large metal w/ G-15. As I write this dust is falling off the old brane cells, and I believe G-31 lenses were indicated by "98". So 6A9807 would have been the gold Large Metal with G-31 lenses. Sometime in the late 60's or early 70's they dropped the gold filled frames for their "Arista" designation for a gold colored plating.