The History of
Mager & Gougelman Inc
1851
Bringing European Artistry to America
Mager and Gougelman Inc. is established as a family-owned ocularist business, pioneering custom prosthetic eye care in the United States. Utilizing advanced European glass-blowing techniques, the studio sets the foundational standard for the industry.
1970’s
Expanding the Northeast Footprint
To meet growing clinical demand, M&G strategically expands across 5 core Northeast locations. By embedding ocularists directly within key medical hubs, the practice bridges the gap between surgical reconstruction and prosthetic artistry.
1940’s
Wartime Innovation & Synthetic Precision
When World War II disrupts the supply of imported German glass, M&G collaborates with military medical forces to pioneer the use of medical-grade acrylic (plastic). This shift revolutionizes prosthetic durability, comfort, and safety, establishing a new global standard.
Present
The Modern Standard of Ocular Care
Today, the evolving family team operates at the intersection of historic hand-crafted artistry and modern ophthalmic science. Remaining fully ASO Accredited, M&G continues to deliver unparalleled motility, cosmetic matching, and patient comfort.
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In the mid-19th century, the art of making custom glass prosthetic eyes was a closely guarded European secret, dominated largely by French artisans. Recognizing a massive clinical need in a rapidly growing America, Peter Gougelman brought these delicate, proprietary glass-blowing formulas from France to New York, officially founding Mager & Gougelman in 1851.
Operating out of their premier Manhattan studio, the family meticulously hand-crafted each ocular prosthesis, serving wounded veterans of the Civil War and establishing the practice as the undisputed pioneer of American ocularistry. As the century turned, Peter passed the torch to the next generation, ensuring the family's unparalleled technical mastery remained intact.
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For nearly a century, the finest materials for prosthetic glass eyes could only be imported from Germany. When World War I and World War II severed international supply chains, the third and fourth generations of the Gougelman family faced a critical turning point. Millions of wounded servicemen and civilian patients required immediate care, but the raw materials were gone.
Pivoting with wartime urgency, M&G collaborated directly with military medical forces and dental technicians to innovate an entirely new medium: medical-grade acrylic (plastic). The family perfected the complex chemistry required to shape, cure, and hand-paint synthetic eyes. This revolutionary shift didn't just solve a wartime crisis—it permanently altered the global industry, offering patients a shatterproof, highly durable, and anatomically superior alternative to glass.
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Following the acrylic revolution, Mager & Gougelman focused on accessibility and clinical integration. The subsequent generations expanded the practice out of a single studio and into 5 core medical hubs across the Northeast, embedding their ocularists alongside top ophthalmic surgeons.
Today, the continuous family succession remains unbroken. Every ocularist carrying on the M&G legacy undergoes years of rigorous, master-to-apprentice training to blend modern ophthalmic science with the same hand-painted visual artistry introduced by Peter Gougelman over 170 years ago. Operating with full ASO Accreditation, the modern practice remains fiercely dedicated to restoring confidence, motility, and comfort for every patient they treat.
Peter Gougelmann -Oil Painting Portrait 1909
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