Text Box: VINTAGE MINIATURE BINOCULARS

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Nedinsco (Dutch Zeiss) 7x50 M/56 Danish Navy Binoculars

The Nederlandse Instrumenten Compagnie (usually known as Nedinsco) is a Dutch subsidiary of Zeiss that was founded in 1921 in Vlissingen in the Netherlands, then soon moved to Venlo. I assume it was founded to be able to produce military optics without regard to restrictions against German military production imposed by the WWI Treaty of Versailles. These M56 Nedinsco binoculars carry a Crown military property mark, and are believed to be for a Danish Navy contract. They have yellow desiccant ports.

Nedinsco Zeiss 7x50 Swedish Navy Binoculars
Nedinsco Zeiss 7x50 Danische Mariune fernglas.
Jumelles Nedinsco Zeiss 7x50 de la Marine Danoise.
Nedinsco Zeiss 7x50 Danska Flottans kikare.
Binoculares Nedinsco Zeiss 7x50 de la Armada Danesa.
Nedinsco Zeiss 7x50 binocolo.
Nedinsco Zeiss 7x50 prismaticos de la Armada Danesa.. Dutch Navy Nedinsco Zeiss 7x50 military binoculars 
Jumelles Nedinsco 7x50 de la Marine Danoise
Nedinsco 7x50 Danische Mariune Fernglas
Binoculares Nedinsco 7x50 de la Armada Danesa
Nedinsco 7x50 Danska Flottans Kikare

S Ǿ ARTILLERIET

(NAVAL ARTILLERY)

MARINE-TJENESTEKIKKERT

(MARINE SERVICES/ NAVY)

M/56 (believed to indicate MODEL 1956)

NIKKO Artillery 3x13 ° Optical Sight for 1932 Japanese Type 92 72mm Battalion Howitzer ( 九二式歩兵砲 , Kyūni-shiki Hoheihō )

NIKKO Nippon Kogaku WWII Type 92 howitzer gun sight

My Japanese artillery sight is from a type 92 light howitzer known as Kyūni-shiki Hoheihō/ 九二式歩兵砲 which was introduced in 1932 (year 2592 imperial calendar). These were used in the Manchuria incident and invasion of Manchuria, in the second Sino Japanese war, and were used in WWII, and were even used as late as the 1960’s in the Vietnam War. For the Japanese army this was the standard battalion artillery ( 大隊砲 , Daitaihō ). My optical sight is marked NIKKO, which is the brand name used by Nippon K ō gaku K ō gy ō Kabushikigaisha (which later became Nikon) from around 1921-1945. Nippon K ō kaku military binoculars and optical devices of WWII are usually marked NIKKO.

Barr & Stroud Ltd Type G.K.5 6x42 Naval Artillery Director Binoculars

Barr & Stroud Type G.K.5 6x24 British Navy binoculars artillery director 6x42 G.K.5 Barr & Stroud artillery binoculars
Barr & Stroud 6x42 Marin Artilleri Kikare
Barr & Stroud 6x42 Jumelles d'artillerie Navale
Barr & Stroud 6x42 Marineartillerie Fernglas
Barr & Stroud 6x42 Binoculares de Artilleria Naval

My British Royal Navy G.K.5 Fire Director binoculars were made by the Scottish Firm of Barr & Stroud Ltd Glasgow. Fire directors calculate the arc of fire (indirect fire) necessary to drop artillery rounds on targets over much longer distances than possible for direct fire (think mortar versus rifle sighting). This is the optical line of sight mechanism which would interact with the distance calculation and gun performance factors and wind factors when attached to the fire director to give elevation and windage settings to the gun crew. Undated, but believed to date in the period WWII to a decade or so after WWII.

These binoculars have rubber ocular ring protection and rubber top body protection, as had also been common on German WWII binoculars intended for naval use.

Ross 7x50 Naval Artillery Director Military Binoculars Pattern G-352

My British Royal Navy pattern G-352 7x50 Fire Director Binoculars were made by the British firm Ross London. They would originally have has a rubber brow pad and eyecup. Fire directors calculate the arc of fire (indirect fire) necessary to drop artillery rounds on targets over much longer distances than possible for direct fire (think mortar versus rifle sighting). This is the optical line of sight mechanism which would interact with the distance calculation and gun performance factors and wind factors when mounted to the DCT (Director Control Tower) fire director to give elevation and windage settings to the gun crew. This particular model of Ross binoculars was illuminated, and has filters of different colors on a rotating disc. And like many Naval optics, these binoculars have desiccant ports with caps. The distance between eyepieces can be adjusted.

Ross 7x50 binoculars artillery director gun sight G-352 British Ross G-352 7x50 military binoculars gun sight
Binoculares de Artilleria Militar Ross 7x50
Jumelles d'artillerie Militaire Britanniques Ross 7x50
Ross British 7x50 Militarartillerie Fernglas
Ross bRITTISK 7X50 Militar  Artilleri Kikare

A similar model of Ross Artillery Director Binoculars are shown below mounted to a Navy Director Control Tower for surface targets (there were also fire directors for anti aircraft  guns).

The “Broad Arrow” mark is a UK Ministry of Defense Property mark. The “ W ” usually means waterproofed on British Optics.

1944 blc Zeiss 7x50 German Gas Mask Military Binoculars

German WWII Gas Masks and Zeiss 1944  Gas Mask binoculars 1944 blc Zeiss WWII 7x50 German Military Binoculars for gas mask use.
1944 blc Zeiss WWII 7x50 deutsches Militar Fernglas fur gasmaskengebrauch.
1944 blc Zeiss Jumelles militaires allemandes de la Seconde Guerre mondaile pour   
     masque a gaz. 
1944 blc Zeiss WWII tysk militar kikare for anvandning av gasmask.
1944 blc Zeiss Prismaticos militares alemanes de la Segunda Guerra Mundial para uso  
    con mascara de gas.

My uncommon version blc (German WWII mfgr code for Zeiss) binoculars were specifically designed to be able to be used when wearing a gas mask, having large ocular lenses & long eye relief. They are pictured at left with an early 1936 dated Wehrmacht short gas mask and short can, and a later WWII German military long gas mask and can. By the serial number and also by not having a range grid reticle, these binoculars are believed to have been made in 1944. All were probably WWII US soldier bring back “souvenirs”. The 1936 gas mask on the left and it’s can are both marked to Mr. Fleige, who was a WWII shunt manager at the Freiburg Hauptbahnhof railway station (Brg.Hbf), the main train station of Freiburg im Breisgau, in Baden-W ü rtenburg.

1939 Huet 7x50 French Armee de L’Air (Air Force) Military Binoculars

WWII 1939 Huet 7x50 binoculars Air Force military binoculars.
1939 jumelles militares de l'armee de lair francasise.
1939 Huet 7x50 Militarferglas de franzosischen Luftwaffe.
1939 Huet 7x50 Prismaticos militares de la fuerza aerea francesa.
1939 Huet 7x50 Franska flygvapnets militarkikare.
1939 Huet 7x50 Prismaticos militares de la fuerza aerea francesa.
1939 Huet armee de l'air binoculars jumelles 1939 Huet WWII 7x50 French Air Force Huet military binoculars.
1939 Huet 7x50 militarfernglas de franzosischen Luftwaffe.
1939 Huet 7x50 jumelles militaires de l'armee de l'air francaise.
1939 Huet 7x50 prismaticos militares de la fuerza aerea francesca.
WWII 1944 blc Zeiss 7x50 military binoculars for Gas Mask Use.
WWII 1944 blc Zeiss 7x50 deutsches militar Fernglas fur gasmaskengebrauch.
1944 blc Zeiss 7x50 Jumelles militaires allemandes de la Seconde Guerre mondiale pour 
    masque a gaz.
1944 blc Zeiss 7x50 tysk militar kikare for anvandning av gasmask.
1944 blc Zeiss 7x50 prismaticos militaires alemanes de la segunda Guerra Mundail par 
    uso con mascara de gas.

My 1939 dated French Huet Paris 7x50 binoculars are marked as being property of the Armee de L’Air , the French Air Force. Huet brand binoculars were made by the firm Soc t é G é n é rale d’Optique” (SGO), which made many of the French government and military binoculars, but also made civilian market binoculars.

When the German army occupied France, many French Huet military binoculars were seized and used, and the Huet company continued to manufacture these type binoculars for Germany, but with the occupation produced  binoculars marked “dienstglas”.

Zeiss blc 1944 WWII 7x50 binoculars for gas mask use

1939 Huet 16x50 French Armee de L’Air (Air Force) Military Binoculars

My 1939 dated French Huet Paris 16x50 binoculars are marked as property of the Armee de L’Air , the French Air Force. This marking had been painted over. It is common when a soldier “liberated” government owned binoculars for the property mark to be defaced or covered up. But a certain amount of French military equipment including binoculars were reused by occupying German troops, so it is also  possible a Wehrmacht army user simply painted over the air force mark. Huet brand binoculars were made by the French company Soc t é G é n é rale d’Optique” (SGO) .

Huet 16x50 binoculars 1939 WWII armee de l'air french air force binoculars jumelles Huet 1939 armee de l'air binoculars jumelles 1939 Huet 16x50 WWII French Air Forcemilitary  binoculars.
1939 Huet 16x50 Jumelles militaires de L'armee de l'air francasie.
1939 Huet 16x50 militarfernglas de franzosischen Luftwaffe.
1939 Huet 16x50 prismaticos militares de la fuerza aerea francesa.
1939 Huet 16x50 Franska fkygvapnets militarkikare.
1939 Huet 16x50 Prismaticos militares de la fuerza area francesa.

These 16x military binoculars are a unusually high magnification for hand held military (and civilian) binoculars

1917 Carl Zeiss Jena D.F. 10x50 German Army Dienstglas WWI Military Binoculars

1917 WWI Carl Zeiss Jena DF 10x50 dienstglas military binoculars.
1917 Carl Zeiss Jena DF 10x50 Armee Allemande Dienstglas Jumelles Militares.
1917 Carl Zeiss Jena DF 10x50 Bundwehr Dienstglas Militarfernglas.
1917 Carl Zeiss Jena DF 10x50 Ejercito Aleman Dienstglas Binoculares militares.
1917 Carl Zeiss Jena DF 10x50 Tyska Armen Dienstglas Militar kikare. WWI 1917 Carl Zeiss Jena dienstglas DF 10x50 military binoculars.
1917 Carl Zeiss Jena Df 10x50 Armee Allemande Dienstglas Jumelles Militares.
1917 Carl Zeiss Jena Df 10x50 Bundwehr Dienstglas Militarfernglas.
1917 Carl Zeiss Jena DF 10x50 Ejercito Aleman Dienstglas Binoculares militares.
1917 carl Zeiss Jena DF 10x50 Tuska Arnmen Dienstglas bMilitar Kikare.

My 1917 WWI dated German 10x50 military binoculars are Dienstglas German Military property marked, which has been defaced or scratched out. It is quite common when a soldier liberates government binoculars that they will deface or obscure or cover up the government ownership property mark and this is likely the case on these. These are a good high end example of the twin telescope origin of binoculars. The “ K ” marking is believed to be an acceptance mark of GPK Spandau. The “ D.F . ” marking is for Doppelfernrohr (Double telescope).

Australian Military Issue Japanese Made Katsuma 6x30 Laser Filtered Binoculars

Australian army 6x30 laser filtered binoculars, Japanese made by Katsuma.
Jumelles a filtre laser Katsuma 6x30 de l'armee Australienne Japionaise.
Australisches Militar Japaner  hergestellt Katsuma 6x30 lasergefiltertes fernglas.
Australisk militar Japan gjorde Katsuma 6x30 laserfilterade Kilkare.
Binoculares con filtro laser Katsuma 6x30 de fabricacion militar Austrliana. Australian Army 6x30 Japanese made Katsuma Laser Filtered binoculars.
Julmelles a filtre laser katsuma 6x30 De l'armee Australienne Japaonaise.
Australisches Militar Japaner hergestellt Katsuma 6x30 laserfiltertes fernglas.
Australisk militar Japan gjorde Katsuma 6x30 laserfiltrer kilkare.
Binoculares con filtro laser Katsuma 6x30 de fabricacion militar Australiana. Australain Army 6x30 Binoculars

My Australian 6x30 military binoculars carry the broad arrow property mark of the UK and commonwealth, and they are laser filtered. My best guess is that they date from the 1970’s. They were contracted through Bruce Birnie Pty Ltd., of Melbourne Australia. The “JB2” manufacturer mark indicates that the assembling manufacturer of the binoculars was the Japanese firm of Katsuma Kogaku Kikai Co.Ltd. The case is marked to soldier “ TRACKER ”, which may be a name or a nickname. The red painted screws indicate sealed parts not to be unscrewed except by technicians. Believed to be laser filtered.

1943 Australian Military Issue British Made NIL Nottingham Industries No 5 Mk IV 7x50 Binoculars

WWII 1943 Australian army No 5 Mk IV 7x50 military binoculars.
1943 Ausrralisches Militar Britisches machte NIL No. 5 mk. 4 7x50 fernglas.
1943 Armee Australienne Britannique fabrique NIL No. 5 mk. 4 7x50 jumelles.
1943 Australisk Militar Brittisk Tillverkad NIL Nr. 5 mk. 4 7x50 kikare.
1943 el ejercito Australiano Britanico hizo NIL nno. 5 Mk.4 7x50 binoculares.
1943 militari Australian Britannici hanno realizzato il binocolo NIL No. 5 mk. 4 7x50.

My 1943 dated Australian issued British manufactured No 5 Mk IV binoculars were made by NIL/ Nottingham Industries Limited. NIL appears to have been a UK Ministry of Supply created wartime company (1941-1946) which was set up in what had previously been a cigarette factory, but with optics and binocular manufacturer Ross operating it. The binoculars carry the WWII era Australian military property mark of broad arrow between two letters “ D ”, and also seems to have a standard UK and commonwealth military property broad arrow mark.

  Ross London No 5 Mk IVa 7x50 British Military Binoculars

These binoculars have a right eyepiece military horizontal graticule (grid) for range finding. By aligning the grids on something of a generally known length (like a truck) the number of lines give the distance. The desiccant ports on these binoculars appear to have been added after the binoculars were manufactured. This is a modification seen on some No 5 Mk IV binoculars. These desiccant ports allowed flushing a desiccant dried air through the binoculars to prevent “fogging” caused by humidity within the binoculars, when there is a marked  interior/ exterior temperature differential. This predated the more modern practice of sealing the binoculars and filling the inside with an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon, to prevent such fogging.

NILAustralian Army 7x50 binoculars 1943 WWII military binoculars.
1943 Australisches Militar Britisches machte NIL No. 5 mk. 4 7x50 fernglas.
1943 Armee Australienne Britannique fabrique NIL No. 5 Mk. 4 7x59 jumelles.
1943 Australisk Militar Brittisk Tillverkad NIL Nr. 5 mk. 4 7x50 kikare.
1943 el ejercito Australiano Britanico hizo NIL No. 5 Mk. 4 7x50 binoculares.
1943 Militari Australian Britannici hanno realizzato il binocolo NIL No.4 Mk. 4 7x50. British Ross No5  Mk IVa 7x50 military binoculars.
Britisches Militar Ross No.5  MK. 4a 7x50 fernglas.
Armee Britannique Ross No. 5 mk.4a 7x50 jumelles.
Brittisk Militar Ross No. 5  Mk. 4a 7x50 kikare.
Ejercito Britanico Ross Nr. 5  Mk. 4a 7x50 binoculares.
Militari Britannici Ross binocolo No. 5 Mk. 4 7x50.
Ross No 5 MK IVa British military 7x50 binoculars
Britisches Militar Ross No. 5 Mk. 4a 7x50 fernglas.
Armee Britannique R oss No. 5 Mk. 4a 7x50 jumelles.
Brittisk Militar Ross No. 5 Mk. 4a 7x50 kikare.
El erjicito Brititannici il bonocolo Ross No.5 Mk. 4a 7x50 Ross London 7x50 binoculars

My undated RL /Ross London logo No 5 Mk IV(a) binoculars have some odd aspects.   They seem to be in unissued condition, and without the usual wear. While a military pattern MkIV binocular just like the NIL example above, these have no broad arrow UK or commonwealth military property marks on them. Also the Mk IV original designation has been modified after manufacture with an “ A ”. They have the desiccant ports red painted, which is a UK military practice to indicate removal by technicians only and/or use of a sealant. They have multiple “ OS ” numbers, one with an “ M.A. suffix and one with a “ GA ” suffix.  “ OS ” numbers are Govt. “Optical Stores” modifications documentation, and binoculars MA and GS suffixes are supposedly only present on UK military binoculars. The likely explanation is that these are No5 Mk IV binoculars bought under a UK government contract, probably toward the end of WWII, but were not needed, so were placed into government storage. Hence unused condition. As they were not actually taken into military service, they were not broad arrow military property marked, and also no facing arrow disposal marks. The right plate specifies range graticules, but the binoculars do not have them installed. It is known on some Mk IV binoculars the graticule or ranging grid was removed before selling them as surplus, so probably these were removed as one of the marked changes, perhaps to facilitate disposal. The UK government sold off a lot of military binoculars in the 1950’s to surplus resellers like Headquarter and General Supply, and to Optics retailers like Charles Frank (you can see this in our catalogs sections). The UK govt surplus binoculars included used binoculars, new surplus binoculars, and WWII captured binoculars. 

Huet 10x50 French Marine Nationale Navy Modele 1933 Type 1 Military Binoculars

My model 1933 type 1 French Huet Paris 10x50 binoculars and case are marked as property of the Marine Nationale (French Navy), and of being part of a Navy contract. These binoculars are believed dated between 1933 and 1940, and were made by the French co. Soc t é G é n é rale d’Optique” (SGO).

A certain amount of French military equipment including binoculars were reused by occupying German troops, and the company continued making binoculars similar to these for the German military, but with occupation binoculars normally marked “dienstglas” (military property binoculars). These binoculars also have optional filter eye cups.

 French Navy Huet 1933 10x50 binoculars Model 1933 Type 1.
Huet 1933  10x50 Jumelles militaires modele 1933 de la marine francaise.
Huet 193310x50  Militarfernglas de franzosischen marine, modell 1933.
Huet 1933 10x50  Fransk marinmodell 1933 Militar kikare.
Huet 1933 10x50  binoculares militares modelo 1933 de la armada francesca. Huet 10x50 jumelles French Navy 1933 binoculars French Navy 10x50 model 1933type 1  Huet 10x50 binoculars.
Huet 10x50  jumelles militaires modele 1933 de la marine francasie.
Huet 10x50 militarfernglas de franzosischen Marine, modell 1933.
Huet 10x50 Fransk marinmodell 1933 Militar kikare.
Huet 10x50 binoculares militares modelo 1933 de la Armada francesa.

Filter

eye cups

Text Box: Nedinsco 7x50 Danish Navy Binoculars
Text Box: NIKKO Artillery 
3x13° Optical sight for Japanese 82mm howitzer
Text Box: Barr & Stroud Ltd. Type G.K.5 6x42 Naval Artillery Director Binoculars
Text Box: Ross 7x50 Naval Artillery Director Military Binoculars Pattern G-352
Text Box: Ross 7x50 Naval Artillery Director Military Binoculars Pattern G-352
Text Box: 1944 BLC Zeiss 7x50 German Gas Mask Military Binoculars
Text Box: 1939 Huet 7x50 French Armee de L’Air (Air Force) Binoculars
Text Box: 1939 Huet 16x50 French Armee de L’Air (Air Force) Binoculars
Text Box: Huet 10x50 French Marine Nationale Navy Modele 1933 Type 1  Binoculars
Text Box: Australian Military Issue Japanese Made 6x30  Binoculars
Text Box: 1917 Carl Zeiss  Jena D.F. 10x50 German Army Dienstglas WWI Military Binoculars
Text Box: 1943 Australian Military Issue British Made No 5 Mk IV 7x50 Binoculars
Text Box: Ross London No 5 Mk IVa 7x50 British Binoculars

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