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Big and Small: Asahi Pentax binoculars |
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Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha was formed in 1919 in Japan as spectacle makers, and by 1938 it was producing camera lenses. After being reorganized in occupied Japan in 1948, it returned to manufacturing and distributing binoculars and cameras, including supplying Konica and Minolta. My smaller AOCo / Asahi Optical Co. 6x15 Pentax binoculars were assembled by JB6/ Asahi Optical Co. of Japan with frame by JE49/ Sankyo Kogaku Kogyo Co. Ltd. Of Japan. My larger 6x30 Asahi Pentax binoculars were assembled by JB127 Koei Seiki Co Ltd. of Japan, and the frame/body were made by JE30 Kofu Kogaku Kogyo Ltd. of Japan. |
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Big and Small: Wuest binoculars |
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Japanese External Reverse Porro Prism Binoculars. WEBSITE MUSEUM |
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BIG & SMALL #5 binoculars |
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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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Big and Small: Starlite binoculars |
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I have never found any documentation defining the background of Starlite brand use on binoculars. My smaller 8x20 Starlite binoculars are marked “ MSC ” for Meiji Seiko Co. Ltd. 明治精工株式会社 of Japan . My larger Starlite 7x35 are marked DBK IOC. ( do not know what company D.B.K. represents but believe I.O.C. to be Itabashi Optical Manufacturing Co. Ltd. of Japan Both binoculars post date the US occupation period, but predate JB codes, so date 1952 Nov. 1959. |
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I have never found documentation defining the background of Wuest brand use on binoculars. My smaller Wuest 10x40 binoculars were assembled by JB93/ Siewa Optical Co. Ltd. ( 清和光学株式会社 ) of Japan, and also have the TJK in diamond mark of exporter Toyo Jitsugo Kogaku K.K. (Oriental Trading Co).of Japan, and the frame manufacturer was JE50/ Tanaka Koki Seisakujo. Inc. My larger Wuest H-19 8x40 binoculars were assembled by JB13/ (unknown maker code) with a frame/body by JE22/ Itabashi Kogaku Kikai Seisakujo Inc. of Japan. |
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Big and Small: Ashreh binoculars |
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Big and Small: Rosco binoculars |
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I have never found any documentation defining the background of Rosco brand use on binoculars. My smaller 7x18 Rosco binoculars were assembled by JB5/ Meiji Seiko Kogaku Ltd. 明治精工株式会社 of Japan, and are also MSK marked. My larger & 7x35 Rosco binoculars post date the US occupation period, but likely predate JB codes, so date 1952-Nov. 1959. Independent focus and claim of quality control testing also support that surmise .They have an unknown Japanese logo presumably of an exporter. |
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Ashreh was a non trade marked brand of US distributor Ashreh Supply Co. of New York City . My smaller 6x15 Ashreh binoculars were assembled by JB 001/ /Toa Optical Co., Ltd. (Toa Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushiki-geisha )( 東亜光学株式会社 of Japan . My larger 7x50 Ashreh binoculars post date the US occupation period, but predate JB codes, or else post date JB codes (lean toward the latter). Both of these Ashreh binoculars appear in this collection’s 1970 Ashreh catalog. |
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Big and Small: King binoculars |
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Big and Small: Perfex binoculars |
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Big and Small: Le Gran binoculars |
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Le Gran was a trade marked binoculars brand of Le Gran Corp of Long Beach California USA. My smaller 6x15 LeGran model LE-504 binoculars were assembled by by JB231/ Tochihara Optical Co ( 栃原光学株式会社 of Japan. My larger 7x35 LeGran binoculars were assembled by JB119/ Nisshin Kogaku Kogyo Co. Ltd., with frame/body by JE22/ Itabashi Kogaku Kikai Seisakujo Inc. of Japan |
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Perfex was a trade marked binoculars brand of Imperial Optical Co. of Toronto Ontario Canada. My smaller 6x15 Perfex binoculars were assembled by JB47/ Tokuhiro Micro Binocular Co: (Tokuhiro Koki Seisakusho Inc)( 徳弘光機製作所株式会社 ) of Japan, and also carry the associated NAOKI mark. My larger 7x35 Perfex binoculars were assembled by JB101/ Hifumi Kogaku Kikai Co. Ltd. with frame/body by JE7/ Nippon Kogaku Kogyo Co. Ltd. Of Japan. |
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I have never found any documentation defining the background of King brand use on binoculars. My smaller external prism design 15x50 King binoculars were assembled by JB93/ Siewa Optical Co. Ltd. ( 清和光学株式会社 ) of Japan. My larger conventional 10x50 King binoculars were assembled by JB207/ Hiyoshi Optical Co.Ltd. of Japan, with a frame/body by JE22/ Itabashi Kogaku Kikai Seisakujo Inc. of Japan. . |
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Big and Small: Rainbow binoculars |
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Rainbow was a 1955 Japanese trademarked binoculars brand of Shinsei Shoji Company Ltd. of Japan. My smaller 10x20 Rainbow binoculars were assembled by JB47/ Tokuhiro Micro Binocular Co: (Tokuhiro Koki Seisakusho Inc)( 徳弘光機製作所株式会社 ), of Japan, and also carry the associated NAOKI mark. My larger 7x50 Rainbow binoculars were assembled by JB207/ Hiyoshi Optical Co.Ltd. of Japan, with a frame/body by JE11 /Omiya Kogaku Kikai Seisalcujo of Japan. . |
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Big and Small: Boots binoculars |
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Big and Small: Aetna binoculars |
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Big and Small: Eikow Airport binoculars |
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Big and Small: Optex binoculars |
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SPI/ Southern Precision Instruments was a DBA business entity of Optex Inc. of Canada (later Gentec), and Optex was a trade marked brand for binoculars. Binoculars appear marked “Optex” and/ or marked “SPI” and/or marked “Southerner”. My smaller Optex SPI 12x50 external prism binoculars were assembled by JB93/ Siewa Optical Co. Ltd. ( 清和光学株式会社 ) of Japan, with frame by JE84/ Oei Kogaku Co. Ltd. Of Japan. My larger Optex 7x50 binoculars were assembled by JB134/ Kozan Kogaku Seisakujo Co. Ltd. of Japan. |
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I have never found any documentation defining the background of Aetna brand use on binoculars. My smaller 6x15 Aetna binoculars post date the US occupation period, but predate JB codes, so date 1952-Nov. 1959. I have not identified the assembling company represented by the M.O.C. marking. My larger 7x35 Aetna binoculars post date the US occupation period, but predate JB codes, so date 1952-Nov. 1959. The assembling manufactured represented by the I.O.C. is Itabashi Optical Manufacturing Co. Ltd., of Japan. |
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I have never found any documentation defining the background of Eikow brand use on binoculars. My smaller 6x15 Eikow Airport binoculars were assembled by JB47/ Tokuhiro Micro Binocular Co: (Tokuhiro Koki Seisakusho Inc)( 徳弘光機製作所株式会社 ) of Japan, and also carry the associated NAOKI mark. My larger 7x59 Eikow binoculars post date the US occupation period, but predate JB codes, so date 1952-Nov. 1959, with an unknown Japanese manufacturer. |
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Boots binoculars were sold by the UK retail drug store chain Boots the Chemist Ltd./ Boots Stores Ltd. My smaller 8x20 Boots Courier model binoculars were assembled by JB231/ Tochihara Optical Co ( 栃原光学株式会社 of Japan. My larger 8x30 Boots Admiral II model binoculars were made in Korea, and my best guess is that these 8x30 binoculars post date around year 2000. |
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Big and Small: Korvettes binoculars |
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“Korvette” and “Kovettes” were brands of US retail chain E.J. Korvette (My Korvette/ no “s” binoculars are in Big & Small #2). My smaller 6x15 Korvettes binoculars were assembled by JB47/ Tokuhiro Micro Binocular Co: (Tokuhiro Koki Seisakusho Inc)( 徳弘光機製作所株式会社 ) of Japan, and also carry the associated NAOKI mark. My larger 8x40 Korvettes binoculars were assembled by JB38/ Nakabishi Kogaku Inc., of Japan. |
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Big and Small: Halina binoculars |
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Halina is an Australian trade marked binoculars brand of Hong Kong distributor W. Haking Enterprises Ltd. And the crown that appears with Halina is a W. Haking UK trade marked design. My external prism Halina 10x30 binoculars are marked “ Empire Made ”, which in this context usually means Hong Kong assembly from Japanese parts in order to be Commonwealth import duty free. My conventional 7x35 binoculars presumably also had a now missing center empire made marked pivot cap. |
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Big and Small: Crescent binoculars |
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Big and Small: Traveler binoculars |
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Big and Small: Windsor binoculars |
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I have never found any documentation defining the background of Crescent brand use on binoculars. My smaller 7x18Crescent binoculars were assembled by JB 001/ /Toa Optical Co., Ltd. (Toa Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushiki-geisha )( 東亜光学株式会社 of Japan . My larger 7x50 Crescent binoculars post date the US occupation period, but predate JB codes, so date 1952 - Nov. 1959. I have not been able to identify the Y or A&A markings. |
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I have never found any documentation defining the background of Traveler brand use on binoculars. My smaller Traveler Hm 3-55 6x15 binoculars post date the US occupation period, but predate JB codes, so date 1952-Nov. 1959, and are marked OSK and carry the “ K ” logo of indicating the assembling manufacturer was Omori Sogo Kogaku of Japan. My larger (non prismatic) low quality Traveler 7x15 binoculars were assembled by JB204 / Chuo Koki Seisakujo of Japan. The C.O.C. in diamond suggests export by Carton Optical Co (speculative as logo is not identical to trade marked COC in shape Carton Optical Co. logo) |
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I have never found any documentation defining the background of Windsor brand use on binoculars. My smaller 7X18 Windsor binoculars post date the US occupation period, but predate JB codes, so date 1952-Nov. 1959. My larger Windsor 6x30 binoculars were assembled by JB134/ Kozan Kogaku Seisakujo Co. Ltd., with frame/body by JE7/ Nippon Kogaku Kogyo Co. Ltd. Of Japan. |
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Big and Small: Hercules binoculars |
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I associate the Hercules binoculars brand/ KW logo with Japanese binoculars importation to the US in the 1950’s. I have found no documentation other than David Bushnell mentioning the brand was made under contract by Asahi Optical Co. in the 1950’s. My best guess is that Hercules was a non trade marked brand of a Japanese exporter. My smaller Hercules brand 6x15 and 6x18 binoculars are both marked “ MADE IN OCCUPIED JAPAN ”, and so are my largest Hercules 7x50 binoculars, so all date during the US occupied Japan binoculars import period 1948-1952. My Hercules 8x30 binoculars were made post occupation and pre JB code requirement, so date 1952 Nov. 1959. I have not been able to identify the KW logo. |
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Big and Small: Limer binoculars |
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Big and Small: Marbo binoculars |
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Big and Small: Universal binoculars |
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I have not found documentation defining Limer brand use on binoculars, but it was associated with Mirador over a number of decades. My smaller Limer 6x15 binoculars post date the US occupation period, but predate JB codes, so date 1952-Nov. 1959, and are marked as having been contract made by AOCo/Asahi Optical Co., who often put their logo on the binoculars they contract manufactured in the 1950’s. My larger Limer 7x50 binoculars are marked “ MADE IN OCCUPIED JAPAN ”, so date during the US occupied Japan binoculars import period 1948-1952. I am unable to identify the T.K.K. marking. |
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I have not found direct documentation (trade marks, corp. history, customs documents, catalogs) defining Marbo brand use on binoculars, but by observation is closely and widely associated on many binoculars also marked Hoya , which was a Japanese binoculars glass manufacturer from 1951. My smaller Marbo Hoya 6x15 binoculars post date the US occupation period, but predate JB codes, so date 1952-Nov. 1959, and are marked TOA as having been contract assembled by Toa Optical Co., Ltd. (Toa Kōgaku Kōgyō Kabushiki-geisha )( 東亜光学株式会社 of Japan. My larger 7x50 Marbo A.P.O. binoculars post date the US occupation period, but predate JB codes, so date 1952 - Nov. 1959. I have not been able to identify the A.P.O. markings, but repetition on the pivot suggests may be an exporter. |
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Hurricane Import Co/ Hurricane International of San Francisco Ca. imported a variety of binoculars in the 1950’s and 1960’s, including under “Hurricane” and “Horizon” brands they used, and also imported RKK, Mirador and Limer binoculars. My smallest Hurricane 6x15 binoculars were made by JB5/ Meiji Seiko Kogaku Ltd. 明治精工株式会社 of Japan. My larger Hurricane Horizon 7x35 binoculars were assembled by JB78/ Kuribayashi Kogaku Seisakujo of Japan, with body made by JE9/ Sato Kogaku Kogyo Co. Ltd. of Japan. My next larger Hurricane 7x50 binoculars were made by JB34/ Musashi Kogaku Co. Ltd. Of Japan, with body made by JE10/ Toko Seiki Co. Ltd. of Japan. My largest Hurricane Horizon 10x50 binoculars post date JB codes (silk screen markings), but with manufacturers unknown. |
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Big and Small: Hurricane / Horizon binoculars |
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I have not found documentation defining Universal brand use on binoculars. My smaller Universal 7x18 binoculars were assembled by JB93/ Siewa Optical Co. Ltd. ( 清和光学株式会社 ) of Japan, and the frame manufacturer was JE50/ Tanaka Koki Seisakujo. Inc. of Japan. My larger Universal 16x50 binoculars post date the US occupation period, but predate JB codes, so date 1952 Nov. 1959. I am unable to identify the “U”logo exporter marking. |
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Big and Small: Unitron binoculars |
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From 1955 United Scientific trademarked Unitron in stylized form on microscopes and telescopes (and probably binoculars), and from 1981 Ehrenreich Photo Optical trademarked Unitron for cameras, with both trademarks transferring to Unitron Inc. of the USA, which held a Unitron brand US trademark specifically for binoculars from 1998. My smaller 10x20 Unitron binoculars were assembled by JB47/ Tokuhiro Micro Binocular Co: (Tokuhiro Koki Seisakusho Inc)( 徳弘光機製作所株式会社 ), of Japan, and also carry the associated NAOKI mark. My larger 8x40 Unitron rubber armored binoculars presumably post date the common use of JB codes, are Japanese made, and may date to the 1980’s or 1990’s (purely speculative). |
