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SANS & STREIFFE, INC. (USA) |
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MINIATURE BINOCULAR BRANDS (U.S. TM owner) SANS & STREIFFE BINOCULARS PRIMARY INFORMATION: US PATENT & TRADEMARK OFFICE, TRADE DIRECTORIES |
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Sans & Streiffe, of 565 West Washington Blvd., Brookfield, Illinois was probably formed around 1951 as an importer/distributor of binoculars, microscopes, telescopes, drafting tools, weather instruments, slide rules, movie cameras transistor radios, and similar goods. They held US trademark # 72055522 for “Sans & Streiffe” for binoculars, telescopes, microscopes, barometers, thermometers, & hygrometers from June 1959 to 2000, claiming first use in commerce of 12/15/1951. Sans and Streiffe appears in trade directories at least through 1973. TO SEE OUR SANS & STREIFFE BINOCULARS NAVIGATE TO PHOTO GALLERY #5 . |
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Japanese External Reverse Porro Prism Binoculars. On Line MUSEUM |
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MINIATURE BINOCULAR BRAND (presumed owned, but trade marked for other photo trade items ) ZYKKOR BINOCULARS PRIMARY SOURCES OF INFORMATION: PERFECT LEADS, US PATENTS AND TRADEMARK OFFICE, LEGAL FORCE TRADEMARKS, BUSINESS LOOKUP |
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Photo Audio Consumer Marketing Corporation of One West 34th St., NYC was formed in 1979 as a distributor of photographic products and accessories and consumer electronics, including those that were marketed under the ZYKKOR trade name and distinctive US trade mark# #73276663 logo as seen on miniature binoculars. Dissolution of the co was reportedly on June 26,1996. |
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TASCO SALES PTY LTD (AUSTRALIA) |
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MINIATURE BINOCULAR BRAND (handled) TASCO BINOCULARS PRIMARY SOURCES OF INFORMATION: AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION |
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Tasco Sales Pty Ltd of Brookvale NSW was apparently formed 11/5/1965 as a Australian distribution entity for Taco products, and is currently active. |
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SPI/ SOUTHERN PRECISION INSTRUMENT CO. (USA) OPTEX INC., WORLD PRECISION INSTRUMENTS INC |
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MINIATURE BINOCULAR BRAND (U.S. TM owner for SPI logo) SPI BINOCULARS & telescopes, ( U.S. TM owner ) OPTEX BINOCULARS (model name) SOUTHERNER BINOCULARS PRIMARY SOURCES OF INFORMATION: SPI ADVERTISEMENT, TEXAS STATE COMPTROLLER, TRADE DIRECTORIES, US PATENT & TRADEMARKS OFFICE |
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SPI / Southern Precision instrument Co./ Nathaniael Halpern of San Antonio Texas held US trademark #71651245 for the “SPI in diamond” logo for binoculars, telescopes & microscopes from July 13, 1954 until transferred to affiliated company Optex in April 1960, with first use in commerce stated as 1951. The trademark was transferred to Zale Corp in 1974, and then to Sugerose in 1986, and World Precision Instruments DBA Southern Precision Instruments in 1994. An occupied Japan AOCo marked “Southerner” pair of miniature a binoculars suggests SPI was active ca 1950 and had a relationship with Asahi Optical Co. SPI/ Optex were longtime importers and distributors of binoculars, telescopes, microscopes, stop watches, compasses, measuring instruments, and other products, and for a time of transistor radios. Optex Inc DBA Southern Precision Instruments held US trademark #72260953 for Optex for binoculars from Dec 1967 claiming first use in 1957 but it was reassigned 9 times subsequently starting in 1974 including back and forth between the same or similar entities and last trademark owner World Precision Instruments DBA Southern Precision Instruments. |
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SPI Advertisement ca 1952 |
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HENRY BIRKS & SONS LTD. (CANADA) LES JOAILLIERS BIRKS INC. BIRKS JEWELERS INC. |
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MINIATURE BINOCULAR BRANDS (Canadian TM owner) BIRKS BINOCULARS PRIMARY SOURCES OF INFORMATION: CANADIAN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE, CLOUDY NIGHTS. |
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Henry Birks & Sons (now Birks Group, formerly Berks Jewelers Inc & Les Joailliers Birks Inc) of 1240 Phillips Sq Montreal Canada has operated as a Canadian retail jewelry and giftware chain since 1879, and holds Canadian design trade mark #TMA575763 with 61 related Canadian trademarks for “Birks”and or lion for binoculars, telescopes, microscopes and for around 122 other items. Birks binoculars were sold through Birks owned Canadian retail outlets, but they do occasionally show up in the UK and elsewhere so they might or might not have been distributed at wholesale. TO SEE OUR BIRKS BINOCULARS NAVIGATE TO PHOTO GALLERY #8 . |
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HEADQUARTER & GENERAL SUPPLIES, LTD (UK) |
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MINIATURE BINOCULAR BRANDS (believed used/no TM ) LIEBERMAN & GORTZ BINOCULARS, L & G TELSTAR BINOCULARS, TELSTAR BINOCULARS (distributed?) REXINA BINOCULARS, PRIMARY SOURCES OF INFORMATION: ACCOUNTANCY NOV 66 VOL 77 ISSUE 879, FINDMYPAST |
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According to the 1966 trade publication “Accountancy”, Headquarter and General Supply was a mail order company formed in 1941 and made public in July 1963. They say that much of the early business was in binoculars and watches, but the company expanded to tents, camping equipment, carpeting, records, transistor radios, tape recorders, photographic equipment, furniture and clothing. And apparently guitars, power tools, jewelry and various other things at different times. A good portion of the outdoor gear was military surplus. As of 1966 they also operated retail outlets. They advertised extensively in “Exchange and Mart”, but also in a wide range of specialty periodicals such as “Commercial Grower”. Ads in the Northern Ireland newspaper Larne Times (Antrim) as early as June 1947 show the mail order location as 196-200 Coldharbor Lane, London SE5 (Brixton), which still exists and is a triangular building on the corner of Flaxman and Coldharbor roads and is adjacent to Loughborough station. According to two people who worked for the company at their Surbiton (Surrey) and their Guilford (Surrey) retail stores the company went out of business in the late 1970’s. By all accounts “Lieberman & Gortz” was a “house” brand for binoculars for almost the entire lifespan of the company, but does not appear to have had a UK trademark. For some reason I am unable to find documentation on Headquarter & General Supplies Ltd in UK Companies House records of dissolved, current, or prior name companies, nor any information in the UK Insolvency Register. H & GS appears to have sold it’s Lieberman & Gortz binoculars at retail rather than distributing them at wholesale. TO SEE OUR HEADQUARTER & GENERAL SUPPLY CATALOG NAVIGATE TO BINOCULAR CATALOGS #03 . |
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UK MARKET |
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CANADA MARKET |
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HENRY KAUFMANN (GERMANY) |
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MINIATURE BINOCULAR BRANDS (probably owned) HK IDEAL HELGOLAND BINOCULARS PRIMARY SOURCES OF INFORMATION: ASTRONOMIE.DE, “JEWELIER & SPORT OPTIK HENRY KAUFMANN” WEBSITE |
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Jewelry and optics trader Henry Kaufmann is located on the resort island of Helgoland at Siemens Terassse 162. Helgoland currently is exempt from the EU VAT and thus offers a tax advantage to visitors purchasing goods to take home. It is believed that the firm imported binoculars from Japan and sold them with HK Hegoland brand markings, probably at retail. The firm currently offers Leica, Zeiss, Steiner, and Swarovski sports optics, as well as jewelry. TO SEE OUR HK IDEAL BINOCULARS NAVIGATE TO PHOTO GALLERY # 10 . |
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GERN OPTIK (SWITZERLAND) |
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EUROPEAN MARKET |
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MINIATURE BINOCULAR BRANDS (probably owned) WEGA BABY BINOCULARS, WEGA SPORT BINOCULARS CONVENTIONAL BINOCULAR BRANDS: WEGA LUX, WEGA SPORT BINOCULARS |
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Gern Optik markings are commonly found on “Wega” brand binoculars. The firm is listed in directories as being a wholesaler of optical instruments in Vaud Switzerland, but is believed no longer in operation. Distributors included Newbold and Bulford for the UK market. TO SEE OUR WEGA BABY AND WEGA SPORT BINOCULARS NAVIGATE TO PHOTO GALLERY # 11 |
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LL BEAN INC (USA) |
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MINIATURE BINOCULAR BRANDS (owned) LL BEAN BINOCULARS PRIMARY SOURCES OF INFORMATION: WIKIPEDIA |
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The American mail order, catalog, on line, and retail store outdoor outfitter and clothier LL Bean was founded in 1912 and is based in Freeport Maine. The company imported and sold binoculars under it’s LL Bean brand name over the years. TO SEE OUR LL BEAN BINOCULARS NAVIGATE TO PHOTO GALLERY #7 . |
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USA MARKET |
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MONTGOMERY WARD/ WARDS (USA) |
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SEARS ROEBUCK & CO./ SEARS (USA) |
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K MART (USA) SS KRESGE |
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MINIATURE BINOCULAR BRANDS (U.S. trademark owner) FOCAL BINOCULARS PRIMARY SOURCES OF INFORMATION: US PATENT & TRADEMARKS OFFICE, WIKIPEDIA |
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The US retail chain K Mart headquartered at different times in Michigan and Illinois is the successor to the US retail chain SS Kresge, founded in 1899. SS Kresge Co held US trademark # 72312306 for Focal for binoculars, telescopes, cameras from 11/15/1968 to 1977 (claimed first commercial use1966, then succeeded by K Mart. K held Canadian trademark TMA270461) FILED 8/28/1981 , used in Canada since 1975, expunged 1998 K Mart imported and distributed binoculars, telescopes, and photographic products under the Focal brand name through it’s retail outlets. |
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MINIATURE BINOCULAR BRANDS (owned) WARDS BINOCULARS (believed owned) ADAMS BINOCULARS (handled) PLUM BINOCULARS PRIMARY SOURCES OF INFORMATION: WIKI department PEDIA |
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MINIATURE BINOCULAR BRANDS (owned) SEARS BINOCULARS, TOWER BINOCULARS PRIMARY |