MiniatureBinoculars.com

Japanese External Reverse Porro Prism Binoculars

MARK OHNO

ミニチュア双眼鏡

While the origin of the miniature external reverse porro prism binocular design was a child of the immediate post WWI German optical industry, the use of the design in Europe faded away with the onset of the great worldwide depression (starting circa 1929-1930). So the ongoing history and popularity of this design is actually due to it’s development in the immediate post WWI Japanese optical industry. During these interwar years the design was very much the domain of the famed Japanese optical company Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha (now known as Nikon), usually under the acronym NIKKO. Interwar production seems to have been aimed at the domestic Japanese market, and surviving examples from these interwar years are extremely uncommon, both in Japan and elsewhere, and you are unlikely to ever encounter them. The huge explosion of this pattern of binocular in terms of popularity, production, manufacturers, and brands came after WWII as part of the post WWII Japanese reconstruction and development of exports.

Japanese Mikron 6x binoculars made by Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha. Serial no 34972.

The logo “NIKKO” was used 1921-1945, and this second variation of the logo was used 1932-1945.

Collection of Nico Westphal, Netherlands, Photos courtesy of Nico Westphal

The seminal Japanese miniature binocular designs were made by Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha (日本光学工業株式会社) , also known as "Japan Optical Industries Co., Ltd.", in 4x and 6x models. (today this company is known as Nikon)

While it does not seem to feature much in US school history lessons, Japan was a active participant in WWI, having declared war on Germany Aug 23, 1914. Japan (with some British troops) seized German territory in Kiaochow on the Shandong peninsula, and also the Mariana islands, Caroline islands, and Marshall islands. The Japanese ship Wakamiya launched the world’s naval launched aerial bombing raids, a portent of 30 years hence. Japanese marines put down a mutiny by Indian troops in Singapore on behalf of the British; sent ships to help guard South Africa and Malta; and in 1918 joined US troops supporting white Russian armies against red armies in Siberia. This history lesson is illustrate that these Japanese [naval] military experiences in WWI (as well as during the Russo Japanese war of 1904-1905) and the critical role that naval spotting and targeting optics played were a major factor in a concerted effort to import foreign technology and develop an improved and robust domestic Japanese optical and optical glass and optical weapons industry at the conclusion of WWI. This was an effort officially promoted and encouraged by the Japanese government. Germany had previously dominated these industries. Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha was created on July 25 1917, in part as an optical weapons manufacturer, by merging the optical measuring division of Tokyo Keiki Seisaku-sho, the reflector division of Iwaki Glass Seizo-sho, plus Fujii Lens Seizo-sho. In July of 1919 Ryuzo Fujii recruited eight German engineers under a 5 year contract on behalf of Nippon Kōgaku KK, while on a trip to Germany, and the engineers arrived in Japan in January of 1921. (per various Nikon Corporate histories) These engineers included Heinrich Acht, Ernst Bernick, Hermann Dillmann, Karl Weise, Albert Ruppert, Max Lange, Adolf Sadtler and Otto Stange. (Lange and Stange died in Japan in 1923 and 1924 respectively, Acht returned to Germany in 1928, and the others in 1926). Four were assigned to the 3 year old Ohi factory in the Ō district of Shinagawa-ku Tokyo, and four to the Shiba factory. And while they worked on military oriented lenses, lens polishing, and processes they also helped develop microscopes, camera lenses, and specifically and more relevant to this website in 1921 they developed the [civilian] miniature Mikron 4x and 6x external reverse porro prism binoculars of very similar configuration to and almost certainly inspired by the German Fata Morgana and Optistar binocular design of 1919. These are sometimes cited as Nikon’s “first binoculars”, and are so in terms of being a company design. Actually Nippon Kōgaku KK inherited a number of conventional binocular models and brands from Fujji Lens (such as the Asahi, Fuji, Yamato, Sakura, Nippon) plus an opera glass and the Victor export model which was renamed Tenyu under the new company, and was primarily a military model. Early Nippon Kōgaku KK binoculars of various types appear branded as “Joico”, which is an abbreviation of “Japan Optical Industries Corporation”, which in turn is a westernized translation of Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha . They may also appear branded Nikkō (日光), which is assumed to be an abbreviation of the romanji name Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō. By happy coincidence Nikkō apparently also means “sun”. And certain binoculars including the miniature binoculars were also designated “ Mikron”, which is a Greek word indicating small size. The company reportedly produced over 21 variations of these small binoculars over the next 91 years, and these are generally regarded to be among the highest quality and most desirable of this type of binocular. A center focus (CF) model was developed in 1948 for the US market, which has always preferred center focus binoculars, and which was certainly the largest and most affluent market immediately after World War II. While my research on the origins of the design proves the Fata Morgana binoculars were developed prior to the Japanese Mikron binoculars, and were presumably the inspiration for the Japanese designs, my searches of Japanese patent databases has given no indication that Alfred Baumann ever patented his designs in Japan. Nor does it seem likely that the Nippon Kōgaku Mikron miniature designs were initially intended to be or were marketed outside Japan until long after the Fata Morgana and Optistar and their European and US patents were long defunct. The Fata Morgana (indirectly), and the miniature Nippon Kogaku (Nikon) Mikron 4x and 6x binoculars were the direct precursors of the very large variety and quantity of similar ultra small prismatic binoculars with form fitting external prism covers that were produced in Japan for export in large quantities in the late 1940’s and the 1950’s (including the middle to end of the occupied Japan period of 1945-1952) as well as in the 1960’s, 1970’s, 1980s, and to a lesser degree subsequently. While I refer to these binoculars as “miniature”, and most were, some models were scaled up to be full size or even large binoculars (Simor, Vixen, & Super Zenith 15x50), particularly for the UK and European markets. Some binoculars of this design are still actively produced. And Nikon released “anniversary models” of the original Mikron 6x15 binoculars in 1997, and they are still in production and quite popular and very well regarded in 2012, ninety one years after their initial introduction.

Very Early Mikron binoculars

Text Box: Miniature Binoculars and JAPAN (and Nikon)

Japanese Mikron 6x binoculars made by Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha. Serial no 36541.

Second variation “NIKKO” logo used 1932-1945.

Collection of Mike Symons, British Columbia, Canada, Photos courtesy of Mike Symons

古いニコン小型双眼鏡

Text Box: Understanding Early Post War US Importation of These Binoculars: Bushnell & Asahi Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushiki-geisha ( 旭光学工業株式会社) 米国の日本小型双眼鏡の早期の歴史

In 1948 David P. Bushnell (March 31, 1913 – March 24, 2005) was an influential pioneer of importing Japanese binoculars into the United States. Richard Buchroeder and Peter Abrahams interviewed David and Nancy Bushnell in Oct 29, 1999. This [transcribed oral history] gives fascinating direct insights into why and how the post WWII US binocular market and specifically the market for miniature binoculars developed the way it did within the political and economic factors present at the time. And it gives interesting insights into distribution, gaming the tax system, and naming products. Richard Buchroeder and Peter Abrahams deserve enormous credit for capturing and preserving this glimpse into binocular history, and for sharing it.

David Bushnell in 1949

1950 Bushnell Advertisement in a Hunting Magazine

Asahi made Bushnell binoculars

Asahi made “AOCo” and Bushnell marked binoculars, “made in occupied Japan”, presumed manufactured between 1949 and April 1952.

Early post war Hercules 6x15 binoculars made by Asahi Optical of the type David Bushnell carried to Bangkok Thailand in 1948.

For full David Bushnell interview with Richard Buchroeder and Peter Abrahams see: http://www.europa.com/~telscope/bushnell.txt

David Bushnell to Richard Buchroeder and Peter Abrahams

“...This was 1947. I was 34 when I discovered binoculars. I looked all over, you couldn’t buy binoculars, because they had been given to the military during the war…”

US WWII Posters which were put in public places to collect civilian binoculars for the war effort. The binoculars were to be “loaned” and returned after the war. A few were returned. The solicitation for German Zeiss binoculars helped establish a quality image for Zeiss and a brand identity in the US among a huge number of people who otherwise knew little about binoculars.

“...I found a used pair of 6x30s at a pawn shop for $50, made by Universal Camera in Minneapolis. December 1947 to January 1948, was my first trip to Japan. So, off I went to the Orient...We sailed into Manila Bay, [Phillipines] going around the sunken ships and into the berth. I was standing on the deck, and someone on the deck called out ’do you want to sell those binoculars?’ I said ’sure’, I didn’t want them anyway after I got off the ship. He said ‘I’ll give you a hundred dollars for them.’ That was my first sale, and a profitable one. That shows how scarce binoculars were at the time. I delivered the steel and flew on to Shanghai. [China] At Shanghai in the hotel, there was a Dutch trader who had just come back from Tokyo. He showed me the samples of products that he had bought there, and one was a nice 7x50 binocular. I asked him what he paid, and he said eighteen dollars. It was a military binocular converted to civilian use, and a good one. To get into Japan I needed a permit from Washington. Fortunately I was able to get a permit, having traded with Japan before the war. I was one of the first commercial traders in Japan after the war. A couple of New York importers arrived shortly after my visit. We landed in Yokohama, and everything was flat all the way to Tokyo, bombed out. The only things standing were a few chimneys. MacArthur was quite a character over there, we’d see him arrive and leave, with crowds around him, he was a real showman. I did not meet him. Later, I had to wait until MacArthur left Japan to make riflescopes. In Tokyo one building had an exhibition of all the products Japan had available for export, and there were the binoculars. I looked through several and they looked all right to me. I bought some samples and had them sent back to my office in Los Angeles. At that time I had about six employees. They were busy exporting a lot of chemicals to China. I continued around the world. I flew on to Bangkok, [Thailand] and carried a little pair of 6x15s. I thought they were wonderful, that these were what the spies carried during the war. I was fascinated with them. The brand was Hercules, made by Asahi Optical...”

“...This was before Asahi made the single reflex camera… So I got back to Pasadena, and they had taken some orders from dealers for binoculars, based on the samples. About 400 pair of binoculars were sold. The first binoculars we imported were Asahi 6x15, open frame, pocket binoculars. [Japanese external reverse porro prism miniature binoculars]. This was in ‘48, but there was a long strike by the steamers [ 95 day Nov.1948 ILWU longshoreman’s strike], which lasted for months, and we couldn’t get them off the ship. After Christmas, they [resellers& dealers] said you couldn’t sell Japanese products, the stigma was too strong, and the French [binocular makers] will be back, and eventually the Germans as well. The merchants thought they could not sell the Japanese products. Late in December, I was able to get them off the ship, in time for the Santa Anita [horse] race track to open. I put an ad in the Los Angeles Times [newspaper], 7 x 50s for $49.50. I wrote my own advertising. Then came my first ads in the American Rifleman [National Rifle Association magazine sent to all members], especially the 4” ad featuring the 8x30 for $30, which started the whole mail order business. In Pasadena, I bought a small building at 41 Green St, right across from the old Green Hotel, but the building is no longer there. I opened a retail store in front of the building and had merchandise inventory in the back. It was solely a retail business. After I sold the original pair, I ordered more and sold them. Another secretary said ‘why don’t you put your name on the binoculars?’ I said ’I don’t know how long it’s going to last, and there’s many other products for us besides binoculars’. But with the next lot, I told Asahi Optical to put ‘Bushnell’ on the cover plate, and I drew a nice little lens, a cutaway of an achromat, and put ‘triple tested’ on it. One customer asked ‘what does triple tested mean?’ I said ‘it is tested by the factory, it is tested by us, and it is tested by you’ . We did test a few of each shipment...

“...Asahi was run by very good people. I knew Mr. Matsumoto, the chairman. Every time I came over to Japan he was out in the yard looking through a camera with a hood over his head. The first time, he said ‘look down in that ground glass.’ Another time he said ‘Now look, you can look straight through there, you don’t have to look down, we use a pentaprism.’ We had lunch, and he said “We’ve got to think of a name for this camera.’ We were coming up with all kinds of names for the camera, Cyclops and others. He thought of Pentax, and we said , that’s it. For those early orders [of binoculars] we advertised on radio...When I saw there was a market here, in 1950, I talked with the sportscasters, Tom Harmon and others, and asked what they wanted as an ideal binocular. They said wide field [of view], light weight, and reasonable price. I also corresponded with the editors of outdoor magazines, and they gave me their input. Then I went to Germany, in 1949 or 1950, and called on Hertel & Reuss, Leitz, and Beck Kassell. They said ‘Mr Bushnell, we were making binoculars before you were born. We will make what we feel the market wants.‘ I took the next plane to Tokyo, which went through Moscow and across Siberia to Tokyo. The flight across Siberia in the winter was really something, especially with those noisy airplanes. The stewardess, instead of passing out food and drinks, was tightening fasteners in the plane! We landed in Tokyo. The engineer said, ’Tell us what you want, anything you want.’ So in two or three weeks, they had a prototype made. Day and night they’d work. The first one was a 7x35, a Japanese design with an aluminum body, it turned out well….My vision was that everyone in the Rose Bowl [college football] on New Year’s day should have a Bushnell binocular. The Rose Bowl Commission always bought a hundred binoculars, paid for them, and gave me 6 seats on the 50 yard line. They thought I was doing them a favor. We engraved them ‘Rose Bowl participant’... A neighbor in the office building was an advertising representative for Sports Afield magazine said ‘David, you’ve got to advertise in our magazine. It will cost around $800, it will appear just once, and it will take two months before it appears. It costs $200 to make the [printing] plate, and then you’ve got the artwork. I asked, ’All that , just to appear once? He said ‘Trust me’. So we put a four inch ad in Sports Afield, offering 8x30s for $30. After that the checks came in every mail. We had to add 20 percent luxury tax, which I didn’t have to pay until the end of the year, so I had that 20 percent capitol to use during the year, plus the profit...We billed the binocular cases separately because that didn’t require luxury tax, and saved the customer a dollar or two. That was my first experience in mail order.

Then we began to get inquiries from dealers, and there wasn’t enough margin through dealers, so I raised the [retail mail order] prices. I began to sell through dealers, but continued to sell directly to the consumer. At one time, I had a separate product line for dealers, not the Bushnell name, but that didn’t go at all, they wanted the name. American Rifleman was my best advertising medium. Later I set up Aries Agency (because I’m an Aries), instead of paying 15% to an advertising agency. [Advertising agencies got a commission or kickback for booking ads]. We wrote all our own ads and pocketed the commission. At one time I had about a dozen corporations because the first $25,000 earned by the corporation was assessed at a lower tax rate. I had a company that bought binoculars, a company that shipped binoculars, that inspected binoculars, retail, wholesale, and the U.S. optical laboratory: the inspection and further guarantee outfit that gave us the seal of approval. Before long, someone who had read an article in American Rifleman about coated lenses, asked us a bout them. I inquired around and found a fellow in Hollywood who was coating lenses for the movie makers, and for a while we would bring them to him and he would coat the inside of the objectives only, [objective lens] so we could use the term ‘coated optics’...The second trip to Japan was in spring of 1952. The third was in 1954. The forth was in 1956. I’d go to Japan, sit in a hotel room, and they’d [binocular companies] be lining up in the lobby. I’d give them about 15 minutes each, and one after the other would come in. I would visit all the plants. Some were mom and Pop operations, but they wouldn’t complete the binoculars, they’d be making prisms or eyecups, bodies & so forth; and they’d be assembled by another firm. We would say, ‘can you try a certain field of view’, and they would say ‘how about this?’ They would try to do anything we asked them to. For example, the birders wanted close focus...It was all gentlemen’s agreement, they trusted us and we trusted them. Running the business was always fun...One lady sent a binocular back to us and said, ’for heavens sake, please fix these in a hurry & get them back to my husband, he’s a dedicated birder, he specialized in golden crested double breasted mattress thrashers [blond bimbos]... In 1971, we were selling 10 million [binoculars] a year.

“Triple tested” and Bushnell name. Intended to address US consumer concerns about Japanese origin and quality.

Text Box: Japanese Manufacturers I Have Observed to Have Manufactured or Manufactured Parts for Miniature Binoculars

The following list is of manufacturers I have observed to have been involved in the manufacture of the many various brands of these Japanese (miniature) External Reverse Porro Prism Binoculars, either as the assembling manufacturer of record, or as the parts manufacturer of record. Please note that some manufacturing efforts in the 1950’s and 1960s were essentially consortium group efforts so that there were almost certainly many other manufacturers in addition to the assembling and/ or parts manufacturer of record. So the list should be regarded as accurate but incomplete. Where possible the companies are listed in their “translated” form, and in rōmaji, and in Kanji (see the section “Understanding the Name Variations” on the page ”INTRODUCTION” for a complete explanation). Addresses, where available, are given from a 1959 list of binocular makers published by the Japan Binoculars Export Promotion Co and made available by Peter Abrahams at:

http://home.europa.com/~telscope/j-list.txt

Be aware that if a company had more than one location at the time, then this address is probably a sales office address, rather than a factory address, but could be either.

Akebono Optical Co., Ltd. (Akebono Kōgyō Seisakujo) (曙光学工業 ) : 1-956 Nogata-cho, Nakano-ku, Tokyo

Asahi Optical Co. Ltd. (Asahi Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushiki-geisha ) ( 旭光学工業株式会社) 980 Shimura-maeno-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo

Carton Optical Industries Ltd (カートン光学株式会社)

Fuji Photo Optical Co,. Ltd: 1-24 Uetake-cho, Omiya-Shi, Saitama

Furukawa Kōgaku Seisakujo (古川光学製作所)

Hoya Optical Co, Ltd. (Hoya Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushiki-geisha) (保谷光学株式会社) 38 Oyama-Kanai-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo

Ibuki Kōgaku Co. Ltd. (伊吹光学株式会社 )

Iikura Optical Works (Iikura Kogaku Seisakujo Inc.) (飯倉光学製作所): 43 Tokumaru-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo

Kamakura Optical Co, Ltd: 2-51-2 Shimo-machi, Kita-ku, Tokyo

Meiji Seiko Co, Ltd. (明治精工株式会社 ) : 803 Yukigaya-cho, Ota-ku, Tokyo

Nikkei Optical Co, Tokyo (日経光学株式会社 )

Nippon Kogaku Kogyo Co. Ltd. (Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushiki-geisha) (日本工学株式会社) : Oi-Morimae-cho, Shingawa-ku, Tokyo

Oei Kōgaku Co Ltd. (応永光学株式会社)

Ofuna Optical Instrument Co., Ltd (Ofuna Kōgaku K.K.)(大船光学工業株式会社 )659 Dai, Kamakura-shi, Kanagawa

Oji Optical Machine Co. Ltd (Oji Kōgaku Kikai K.K.)(王子光学機械株式会社 ) 5-34 Inatsuke-Nishi-machi, Kita-ku, Tokyo

Okaya Optical Co, Ltd (Okaya Kōgaku Kikai K.K.)岡谷光学機械㈱, (Vista brand binoculars)

Omiya Kōgaku Kikai Seisakujo, Tokyo (大宮光学機械製作所)

Omori Sogo Kōgaku Kōgyō Ltd.( 大森総合光学工業 ) : 202 Ikegami-Honcho, Ota-Ku, Tokyo

Oshimoto Kōgaku Co Ltd

Otake Optical Co (Otake Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushiki-geisha(大竹光学工業株式会社 )

Pentax Corporation (Pentakkusu Kabushiki-geisha )(ペンタックス株式会社, )

Rikken Optical Co., Ltd. (Riken Kōgaku Kōgyō K.K.) (理研光学工業㈱)

Sankyo Optical Co Ltd. (Sankyo Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushiki-geisha) (三共光学工業株式会社) : 2-8 Naka-Jujo, Kita-ku, Tokyo

Siewa Optical Co. Ltd. (Seiwa Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushiki-geisha ) (清和光学株式会社 ) : 5-1617 Naka-machi, Nerima-ku, Tokyo

Tanaka Optical Co Ltd (Tanaka Koki Seisakujo) (田中光機製作所 ) 4 Fujimi-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo

Toa Optical Co., Ltd. (Toa Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushiki-geisha )(東亜光学株式会社 ): 1-7 Chihaya-cho, Toshima-ku, Tokyo

Tochihara Optical Co (栃原光学株式会社)

Tokuhiro Micro Binocular Co: (Tokuhiro Koki Seisakusho Inc)(徳弘光機製作所株式会社)9-1101 Nippori-machi, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo

Ueta Seiki Co. Ltd

Yashica Co Ltd (Yashica Kōgyō Kabushiki-geisha ) (㈱ヤシカ) plus U.S. subsidiary marketing firm Yashica Inc.

Yoshimoto Optical Co Ltd. : (吉本光学株式会社 ) 1-3340 Nishi-Sugamo, Toshima-ku, Tokyo

Zuiho Optical Instrument Co Ltd. (Zuihō Kōgaku Seiki K.K., Tokyo )(瑞宝光学精機工業株式会社)3-7 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

“Triple tested”, though pure marketing nonsense, was later adopted as a “quality” blurb by other brands, as was David Bushnell’s style of logotype, which is rather amusing.

Saburo Matsumoto, chairman of

Asahi Kōgaku Kōgyō

Kabushiki-geisha

These binoculars are believed to be a prototype of the Japanese Mikron 6x binoculars made by Nippon Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushikigaisha, believed produced around 1922.

Collection of Nikon Corp , 株式会社ニコン, Kabushiki-geisha Nikon

Noted Nikon historian and authority Hans Braakhuis took these photographs at the Nikon Ohi West plant during a visit in 1977

1951 Bushnell magazine advertisement

1949 Bushnell magazine advertisement

After WWII, the United States occupied the main Japanese islands, commencing around August 28 1945. Effectively, SCAP (Supreme Command Allied Powers), effectively the US military, governed Japan, with as many as 350,000 occupation troops at one point. Economic reconstruction was a primary goal, in part because of the cost of supporting the damaged economy and infrastructure (the US provided $15.2 billion in assistance to Japan during the period, as calculated in 2005 adjusted dollars according to the Congressional Research Service). Japanese manufacture and the export of certain types of goods was strongly encouraged. During the occupation period that lasted until Apr 28 1952, many products made in Japan for export were marked “occupied Japan” or “made in occupied Japan” These are now often referred to by the acronym “MIOJ” items. The regulation that required this marking was SCAPIN 1535, of Feburary 20, 1947, signed by General McArthur. Subsequently SCAPIN 2061 of December 5, 1949 officially rescinded the marking requirements of SCAPIN 1535. But for the great majority of items intended for the US consumer market, which was certainly the most affluent in the immediate post war period, US consumers were probably much more receptive to purchasing Japanese goods at the time if they were marked “made in occupied Japan”, with the implication of US military rule over Japan, and also perhaps conveying the impression that it was facilitating Japanese repayment of war reparations to the US. As a result, MIOJ markings were still commonly being done until the military occupation actually ended in 1952. This is one of the reasons that one commonly encounters a binocular marked “made in occupied Japan” in a case marked “made in Japan” or “Japan”, probably reflecting the marking preferences of the two manufacturers in the period 1949-1952 when either marking was appropriate. A fair number of the early post war versions of the miniature binoculars of this type can be found marked “occupied Japan” or “made in occupied Japan”.

The other influence of the US military on these binoculars is that many visiting US troops over the years were quite happy to spend their money on these interesting small high quality Japanese binoculars, both for themselves as souvenirs, and to give as gifts, as well as spending their pay on Japanese cameras, drink, knives, dolls, and a good time. The carry cases of a few of the miniature binoculars that I have obtained are specifically marked to indicate they were the gift of a soldier. In addition to the occupation troops, Japan was also a primary R & R (rest and recuperation) destination for US Korean war troops (June 1950-July 1953), and then for US Vietnam war troops (1965-1975), and also hosted large US military bases for long periods of time, which also had large contingents of “DAC’s” (so called Dept of the Army Civilians). Plus it was common for the US military PX (post exchanges, or military base shops) all around the world to sell goods such as these to the troops within the military bases.

Text Box: MINIATURE BINOCULARS, THE US MILITARY, AND MIOJ Some thoughts, opinions, conjecture & speculation.

Excerpt from a 1950 US magazine ad for Japanese binoculars

Hiroshi Fukushima, a professor of the Faculty of Economics, Quantitative Economics, and Information Systems at Saga University, conducted an excellent study of the post war Japanese binocular market, entitled ”On the Formation of Production Networks of Small Binocular Manufacturers in Japan’s Early Postwar Period”. It is at the time of this writing available in English at:

http://management.kochi-tech.ac.jp/PDF/ssms2008/MPS/HiroshiFukushima.pdf

Professor Fukushima notes that between 1954 and 1973, Japan averaged over a 90% share of the US binocular market. He attributes that to product quality and lower prices. He notes that the competitive success was partly due to a wartime developed press-molding method of optical glass processing, which increased yield rates of optical glass processing from 40% to 80%, with attendant cost advantages, compared to machining blocks of optical glass. He further notes that price competitiveness additionally “derived mainly from a flexible manufacturing system of specialized firms which were agglomerated as a cluster in the northern part of Tokyo [Itabashi] after the war. This production system as a network was formed by small assembly and component manufacturers”. The clustered network of small binocular firms were formed from the 8,000 employees of Tokyo Kogaku who had been involved in wartime optical production. He notes that binoculars were a leading export item (together with other light machinery products like bicycles and sewing machines) in the early postwar period. And that nearly 100% of binoculars produced in Japan in the first few post war years of binocular production went to the US. And that manufacturers operated on a build to order system. We may recognize that as similar to the JIT production model. It allowed flexibility in design changes and accommodated volatile demand (dependent on the US consumer Christmas market). It is an interesting study that is well worth reading.

TRIPLE TESTED ??

Typical early Bushnell dealer newspaper ad, Binghamton New York, 1953.

Asahi Optical Co Factory & Employees 1953

1948 Christmas ILWU Longshoreman’s strike

Attractive unusual Chocolate Brown and Gold Bushnell 6x15 center focus binoculars, no Asahi markings, no manufacturer code

Bushnell embossed leather case

“BOL” stamping found on some Bushnell binoculars, for Bushnell Optical Laboratory Inc. 2828 East Foothill Blvd, Pasadena Ca 91107, incorporated on 1/02/1952. “I had...the inspection and further guarantee outfit that gave us the seal of approval.” David Bushnell interview