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Japanese External Reverse Porro Prism Binoculars. Binoculars MUSEUM |
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MARK OHNO |
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Miniature Binocular Iconography. Fernglas Bildniskunde. Jumelles Iconographie. Бинокли Петербург. 双眼鏡 ブランド。 関連付けられているイメージ。 Iconografía Prismáticos. Iconografia dei Binocoli in Miniatura. |
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Photo: W. Lloyd MacKenzie, via Flickr |
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Eagle Binoculars with an Interesting History. „Eagle “ Fernglas mit einer interessanten Geschichte. «Eagle» jumelles avec une Histoire Intéressante. «Eagle» Бинокль с интересной историей. Eagle 興味深 い歴史を持つ双眼鏡. Eagle Kikare med en Intressant Historia. Prismáticos Eagle con una historia interesante. |
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RAF base Al Adem. Photo: Ray Hindle. |
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Japanese binoculars documented sold at RAF air base, El Adem, Libya in February 1963. Collection of Mark Ohno |
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Sometimes binoculars are more interesting because of what they have done and where they have been and what events they have been associated with. These modest Eagle brand binoculars were made in Japan by Meiji Seiko Co Ltd ( 明治精工株式会社 ) and were imported into the UK under the Nov 1962 UK Japan binoculars import quota, and then sent out to the Royal Air Force station at El Adem, Libya, where they were sold to a RAF staff member of the base through the El Adem Welfare Shop (similar to the US Army PX shops) on Feb. 4 1963. They were sold with the condition that they could not be transferred off the base to anyone in Libya. RAF station El Adem, located 16 km south of Tobruk (now Gamal Abdul El Nasser Air base) had been a WWII British air base, and during the 1960’s was a staging and transit base for the British air force. In any case, the owner did bring them back to England at the end of their posting, and they were eventually donated to a hospice charity in London, where they were acquired for this collection on the internet and sent to the USA to be viewed worldwide by millions of people. Probably not a possibility envisioned by whoever purchased them at a hell hole air force outpost in the desert. |
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Do you own one of these miniature binoculars? Send me a photo of someone looking though them and I may post it on this website. Send by email to miniature.binoculars@gmail.com.
Haben Sie eines dieser Miniaturfernglasbesitzen ? Schicken Sie mir ein Foto von jemanden, wenn sie, und ich kann es auf dieser Website veröffentlichen . Per E-Mail an miniature.binoculars@gmail.com
Possédez-vous un de ces jumelles miniatures ? Envoyez-moi une photo de quelqu'un qui cherche si eux et je peux publier sur ce site . Envoyer par email à miniature.binoculars@gmail.com
あなたはこれらのミニチュア双眼鏡の 1 を所有していますか？私にそれらかかわら探し誰かの写真を送信し、私はこのウェブサイト上でそれを掲示することがあります 。 m iniature.binoculars@gmail.com に電子メールで送信します
Possiedi uno di questi binocoli miniatura ? Inviami una foto di qualcuno in cerca anche loro e posso postare su questo sito . Invia per e-mail a miniature.binoculars@gmail.com
Vill du äger en av dessa miniatyr kikare ? Skicka mig ett foto av någon ser även dem och jag kan lägga upp den på denna webbplats . Skicka med e-post till miniature.binoculars@gmail.com
¿Es usted el propietario de uno de estos binoculares en miniatura ? Envíame una foto de alguien que busca , aunque ellos y puedo publicarlo en este sitio web. Enviar por correo electrónico a miniature.binoculars@gmail.com
Ydych chi'n berchen ar un o'r ysbienddrych bach hyn? Anfon llun o rywun yn edrych arnynt er mi ac efallai y byddaf bostio ar y wefan hon. Anfonwch e-bost at miniature.binoculars@gmail.com |
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Almost What It Seems . Fast, Was Es Scheint, Zu Sein. Presque ce Qu’il Semble. Почти что такое представляется. ほとんどそれがそうであるよ うに思われるもの . Nästan Vad Det Vekar. Casi pero no del Todo. |
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I WANT THE BEST… ... AND GERMAN IS THE BEST... |
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By the time WWII was over, a lot of returning American and British soldiers had joined prewar hunters and sportsmen in thinking that the best German binoculars were superior to American and British binoculars. I have to admit thoroughly enjoying some of the Japanese post war marketing efforts to cash in on the names of the famous German optical firms. |
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FAMOUS & GERMAN Berühmt und Deutsch. Célèbre et en Allemand. Famoso y Alemán. |
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ALMOST FAMOUS and ALMOST GERMAN Fast berühmt und fast deutsch. Presque célèbre et presque Allemand. Casi Famoso y Casi Alemán. |
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Carl Wetzlar Carl Wetzlar Jenar Karl Gener Hans Weiss Jana Jana Deluxe Karl Heitz Karl Siez Carl Seitz Carl Leiss Carl Seitz Berlin Karl Weiz Carl Dietz Karl Heitz Carl Hoffer Karl Stein Carl Szweitzer Carl Schultz Fisher Dietz Karl Schmidt Karl Voight Carl Henrich |
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...but made by companies like Tozaki Kogaku Kogyo & Miyako Seiki Co !!! |
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So many Carl Wetzlar binoculars were imported and distributed in Canada by W. Carsen Co Ltd 31 Scarsdale Rd Don Mills, Ontario in the 1960’s and 1970’s that it became a well established and well recognized brand name there. Carsen Co also imported and distributed Olympus medical and laboratory optics, and professional motion picture cameras including Bolex under their Charvoz subsidiary. The medical optics successor co was apparently bought by Olympus in 2006. |
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Photo credit Karen Arnold |
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Three of my large collection of old Land Rover trucks were utilized in a fashion photo shoot for the Bob’s Clothing store chain in 2015, and six or seven of the resulting photos appeared in their catalogs and flyers, on the store’s website, and on the walls of stores. I snapped a few photos of my own during some different days of the photo shoot. |
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Photo credit George Hodan |
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I acquired the bamboo arrows and quiver and a traditional 6 foot tall wooden long bow from a renowned 20th generation bow maker on one of a number of trips to Japan 40 years ago. It was an interesting challenge carrying them through the Narita airport security checkpoint, but I did. By acting like an American just too dumb to be a threat, proving the power of appearing dumb! |
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For some reason, marketing Germanic sounding Japanese binoculars was particularly popular in Canada. Examples of binoculars of this type sold in Canada include Carl Wetzler, Carl Wetzlar Jennar, Karl Gener, Karl Weiz, Carl Seitz, Carl Seitz Berlin, Karl Stein, Fisher Dietz, Carl Hoffer, Carl Schweitzer, Carl Schultz, Carl Henrich, Karl Voight, and others. Many have the facetious blurb coined by David Bushnell “triple tested”. (It is tested by the factory, the distributor tests a few and then the buyer tests it). A few had the deceptive german phrase Tag –Nacht (day–night) without having coatings or large objective lenses or intensifiers or anything else for night performance. Japanese Miniature binoculars with Germanic names include Karl Siez, Carl Seitz, Carl Wetzlar, Jana, Jana Deluxe, Carl Dietz, Carl Henrich, Karl Luzen, Karl Stein, and Karl Weiz. |
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MINIATUUR JAPANSE VERREKIJKERS MINIATUROWE LORNETKI PIENOISKOOSKA JAPANILAINEN KIIKARIT μικροσκοπικά κιάλια ミニチュア双眼鏡 ống nhòm mini مناظير مصغرة اليابانيةچھوٹے جاپانی دوربین BINÓCULOS JAPONÊS EM MINIATURA DÛRBÎN JAPANESE XWEBIXWE دوربین دوچشمی ژاپنی مینیاتوری MINIATUUR JAPANESE BINOCULAERS MINIJATURNI JAPANSKI DALEKOZOR MINIATURNÍ JAPONSKÉ DALEKOHLEDY MALIIT NA LARAWAN JAPANESE LARGABISTA MINIATYURA YAPONIYA DURBIN BINOCOLO GIAPPONESE IN MINIATURA TEROPONG KECIL JEPUN |
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Not my photo, but skunks and raccoons do seem to get along remarkably well, and like dog food. I have personally watched at least four different skunks at different times eating right along side three or four raccoons near my barn happily enough. Also three raccoons and an opossum at the same time eating together. Also a gray fox and a raccoon eating together, and another time a cat and three raccoons, as well as up to eight or nine raccoons eating together The dynamics of animal behavior and food is interesting and more nuanced than might be expected. |
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CONTACT US WITH INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: miniature.binoculars@gmail.com |
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BINOCULARS RESEARCH WEBSITE, NOT FOR PROFIT FERNGLAS-FORSCHUNGS-WEBSITE, NICHT GEWINNORIENTIERT SITE DE RECHERCHE SUR LES JUMELLES, À BUT NON LUCRATIF |
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Miniature Binoculars, Jumelles Miniatures, Miniatur-Ferngläser |
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ミニチュア双眼鏡 миниатюрные бинокли |
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The Royal Air Force base in Al Adem was not necessarily viewed as preferred or desirable posting, and perhaps the opposite. According to John Cooper who served in TASS/Transit Aircraft Servicing Section from October 1963 to August 1965, “All of us who were posted to RAF El Adem felt we had done something wrong to be sent there.” He apparently was happy to finally leave with a perforated eardrum and war pension as souvenirs. Kevin Slattery, stationed at the associated Tobruk Garrison, noted “The nearest café/ restaurant to El Adem/Tobruk was situated in Benghazi 300 miles away, still we did have the NAAFI’s and Salvation Army to keep us fed as well as the cockroach infested servery of the cookhouse”… and said the most popular base tune on base was “We Gotta Get Out Of This Place If It’s The Last Thing We Ever Do” by Eric Burden and the Animals. Still, he had fond memories of shooting quail as they came to drink at the camp sewer outlet. And shooting wild dogs. And getting dropped into the sea so air rescue could practice trying to find him. |
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Photos Mark Ohno |
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FOR OUR MILITARY & FULL SIZE BINOCULARS see sections OTHER BINOCULARS & BIG & SMALL |
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FOR OUR MILITARY & FULL SIZE BINOCULARS see sections OTHER BINOCULARS & BIG & SMALL |
