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Additional Advertisements: Fata Morgana Binoculars Weitere Werbematerialien für „Fata Morgana“-Ferngläser. Annonces Supplémentaires: «Fata Morgana» Jumelles. Дополнительные рекламные объявления: «Fata Morgana» бинокль. 追加のアドバタイズメント: Fata Morgana 双眼鏡 . Ytterligare annonser: “Fata Morgana” Kikare. Nuevos anuncios: «Fata Morgana» Prismáticos. Annunci Aggiuntivi di Binocolo «Fata Morgana».

Fata Morgana advertisement by the optician ETZ & PRITCHARD, in Charleston, West Virginia USA, June 1923

Fata Morgana advertisement by the jewelers William Wise & Son, Flatbush Ave at Fulton & Nevins Streets, Brooklyn NY USA in 1922

Using Fata Morgana binoculars. „Fata Morgana“ Ferngläser im Gebrauch. Jumelles «Fata Morgana» en cours d’utilization.

Optical Journal & Review of Optometry Vol 49 Jan 1922

When you bought an “A.B.C.” “Optistar” prism 6x binoculars in the early to mid 1920’s, “the exquisite sport, travel and marine binoculars”, this is what you received. Even by today’s standards, these are an appealing, attractive, well designed and are a well made pair of binoculars that are a pleasure to use. Collection of Mark Ohno, binocular serial # 42784. Binocular & Case sourced United States , Box sourced in Germany .

Fata Morgana Binoculars with an Interesting History and Dealer Markings. „Fata Morgana“ Ferngläser mit einer interessanten Geschichte und mit Händler Kennzeichnungen. «Fata Morgana» Jumelles avec une Histoire Intéressante et avec des Marques de Courtiers. «Fata Morgana» Бинокль с интересной историей и с Дилер разметке. 興味深い歴史を持つとディーラーのマーキング «Fata Morgana» 双眼鏡 . ” Fata Morgana ” Kikare Med en Intressant Historia Och Med Dealer Märkningar. «Fata Morgana» Prismáticos con una Historia Interesante y con Marcas de Distribuidores. Binocolo «Fata Morgana» con Una Storia Interessante e Maechi di Rivenditore.

My research indicates that these Fata Morgana binoculars marked “Ludwig B ü nger “and “Bandoeng” and “Semaring” were marked for and sold by the optician firm of Ludwig B ü nger. The firm had shops in the cities of Bandoeng (later renamed Bandung) and Semaring in the 1920's on the island of Java. Java was part of the colony of the Dutch East Indies at the time (now Indonesia). Meine forschung zeigt, dass diese Fata Morgana Fernglas mit “Ludwig B ü nger “ und “Bandoeng” und “Semaring” wurden markiert und vom Optiker Firma Ludwig B ü nger verkauft. Die Firma hatte den Geschäften in den Städten von Bandoeng (Bandung) und Semaring in den 1920er Jahren auf der Insel Java. Java war Teil der Kolonie Niederländisch-Indien zu der Zeit (heute Indonesien). Ma recherche indique qe ces jumelles Fata Morgana marqués “Ludwig B ü nger “ et “Bandoeng” et “Semaring” ont été marqués pour et vendus par la firme opticien de Ludwig B ü nger . La firme avait des magasins dans les villes de Bandoeng (Bandung) et Semaring dans les années 1920 sur l'île de Java . Java faisait partie de la colonie des Indes hollandaise à l'époque (l'actuelle Indonésie ). Min forskning tyder på att dessa Fata Morgana kikare markerade “Ludwig B ü nger “ och “Bandoeng” och “Semaring” markerades för och säljs av optiker firman Ludwig B ü nger . Företaget hade butiker i städerna Bandoeng (Bandung) och Semaring i 1920-talet på ön Java. Java var en del av kolonin av den holländska Ostindien på tiden (numera Indonesien ). Mi investigación indica que estos prismáticos Fata Morgana marcados “Ludwig B ü nger “ y “Bandoeng” y “Semaring” estuvieron marcados por y vendidos por la firma óptico de Ludwig B ü nger. La firma tenía tiendas en las ciudades de Bandoeng (Bandung) y Semaring en la década de 1920 en la isla de Java. Java fue parte de la colonia de las Indias Orientales Holandesas en el momento (actual Indonesia )

Fata Morgana binoculars with case, Serial number 35117. Latest Fata Morgana Serial number documented to date. Collection of Mark Ohno, USA

Sourced in Germany

Information about Ludwig Bünger came from sources including the Catalogus Koliniale Tentoonstelling (Colonial Exhibition catalog) published in Semaring, Java, Dutch East Indies, various years including 1914, with PDF scan by Colonialearchitecture.eu. The Bünger firm is mentioned as exhibiting in 1916, and is mentioned in trade directories such as Archief voor de suikerindustrie in Nederlandsch-Indië, Volume 30, Part 1 1922; Geïllustreerd Tijdschrift voor Nederland en Koloniën, Volume 7 1923, and the firm is mentioned at least through 1928, with 1920-1930 being a potential time frame for involvement with Fata Morgana binoculars.

Photo of the trade stand of optician Ludwig B ü nger at the Colonial Exhibition held at the Jaarbeurs building in Bandoeng, Java, Dutch East Indies. Ludwig B ü nger sold eyeglasses (which they fabricated themselves), as well as lorgnettes, binoculars & field glasses, microscopes, and presumably telescopes or surveying transits (there appear to be a couple of telescopes or transits on tripods in the photo.) You can see a chair in the alcove for giving exhibition attendees their free eye exams (and selling them eyeglasses). The photo is reputed to be from around 1923. Circled objects may be Fata Morgana binoculars. Keep in mind that by third quarter 1923 German hyperinflation made the German mark worth between 1-4 trillion marks to one US dollar (from around 4 marks to a dollar during the war years), and 32 to the dollar in late 1919, so that a loaf of bread in 1923 cost 200 billion marks, and foreign currencies and durable goods were considered to have a much more stable value than German currency.

Recent photo of the Jaarbeurs public hall in Bandung, Indonesia (edited) photo credit: Albert Tok.

Additional research assistance provided by fellow enthusiasts Hans Braakhuis and Ulrich Zeun

Text Box: Eerste Java’sche Optisch– Mechanische Industrie Bandoeng Ludwig Bunger Semarang. First Java Optical Mechanical Industry [city of ] Bandoeng Ludwig Bunger [city of ] Semarang

OOGONDERZOEK KOSTELOOS HIER! “EYE EXAMS FREE OF CHARGE HERE”

1923 TWENTY TRILLION REICHS MARK note Notgeld (emergency) type issued by the city of Duisberg in North Rhine-Westphalia Germany. It would buy 100 loafs of bread in Germany in 1923. Collection of Mark Ohno

I was trained as an archaeologist, using recovered objects to interpret human and societal activity. My twenty trillion German Marks banknote at left is a relic indicative of the unintended (or perhaps intended) consequences of punitive post World War One war reparations imposed on Germany. Germany actually made it’s final WWI war reparation payment on Oct. 3, 2010. While the production of luxury goods such as Fata Morgana binoculars in the 1920’s might seem incongruous during a period of sustained currency chaos, in fact the opposite is true, as luxury durable goods were widely seen as a safe haven against increasingly worthless paper currency. This is an example of how human behavior may follow a logic that deviates from conventional expectations, and how warfare may take economic as well as militaristic guises.

1922 advertisement

German Harwix Mirakel binoculars . Deutsch „Harwix Mirakel“ Fernglässer. Jumelles «Harwix Mirakel» Allemand. Tysk ”Harwix Mirakel” Kikare. Prismaticos «Harwix Mirakel» Alemán. Binocolo Tedesco «Harwix Mirakel».

As his 1921 patent applications shows, the Mirakel binocular design of Ewald Harwix was a similar but different German design approach to that taken by Alfred Baumann with his Fata Morgana and Optistar designs. Both targeted a similar consumer market at around the same time, and were competitors, though the fragile bakelite plastic body of the Mirakel was rather less elegant. The Mirakel is not part of the Fata Morgana to Nikko Mikron to post war Japanese miniature binoculars design lineage, but it does reflect similar and competitive contemporary designs of miniature or pocket binoculars.

1930 advertisement

1926 advertisement

All Harwix advertisements courtesy of Ulrich Zeun

Text Box: NAVIGATION TO ALL PAGES TOP OF PAGE, BOX RIGHT SIDE, OR CLICK HERE.

Fata Morgana & Optistar Binoculars. Frame Thickness. Design & Production Variations . Design-und Herstellungsvarianten der „Fata Morgana“- und „Optistar“-Ferngläser: Rahmenstärke. Jumelles «Fata Morgana» et «Optistar». Épaisseur de la Monture. Variations de Conception et de Fabrication. Fata Morgana И «Optistar» бинокль: рамы различия. «Fata Morgana» & «Optistar» Prismáticos: Variaciones en la Producción de la Trama.

Fata Morgana and Optistar binoculars underwent various minor production changes over time, including but perhaps not limited to eyepieces, focus rings, frame thickness, objective tube length, geometry, markings, carry cases, and perhaps other evolving changes. In terms of frame thickness, there seem to have been three different frame thicknesses for the Fata Morgana binoculars, of approximately 6mm,then changing to approximately 7mm, then changing late in production to approximately 10mm, with the late production “Prinzess” also 10mm. There appears to have been one frame thickness for the Optistar model of approximately 10mm.

Fata Morgana Serial # 680,

Earliest pattern, Frame approx. 6mm

Fata Morgana Serial #15105

(gilded brass) Frame approx. 7mm

Optistar

Frame approx 10mm