Salvino D'Armati

Who was Salvino D'Armati?

Salvino D'Armato degli Armati of Florence is sometimes credited with the invention of eyeglasses, however this claim was shown to be a hoax.

The earliest mention of Salvino degli Armati as the inventor of eyeglasses occurred in 1684. Ferdinando Leopoldo del Migliore of Florence published a book, Firenze citta' noblissima illustrata. In this book, del Migliore claimed to own a burial register of the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, which had recently been renovated. This register supposedly recorded Armarti's epitaph as follows:

Original : "Qui diace Salvino d'Armato degl' Armati di Fir., Inventor degl'occhiali. Dio gli perdoni la peccata. Anno D. MCCCXVII"

Translation : Here lies Salvino, son of Armato degli Armati of Florence, inventor of eyeglasses. May God forgive his sins. A.D. 1317.

Del Migliore never produced this burial register, and it has never been found. Del Migliore claimed that D'Armati's tomb and its epitaph was obliterated during the church's restoration.