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My 1951 OIP 6x30 binoculars are marked as having been made by O.I.P Gand , which is Optique et Instruments de Precision: an optical and instrument maker in Ghent Belgium (Gand is French language Ghent), founded in 1919. These Belgian military binoculars are marked as property of the A.B.L. ( Armee Belge-Belgish Legere/ Belgian Army) |
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A.B. 8x38 Type 31 Belgian Military binoculars made by Optique et Instruments de Precision (O.I.P.) |
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My OIP 8x38 type 31 Belgian Army binoculars are marked as having been made by O.I.P Gand , which is Optique et Instruments de Precision: an optical and instrument maker in Ghent Belgium (Gand is French for Ghent), founded in 1919. These Belgian military binoculars are marked as property of the A.B. ( Armee Belge), and type 31 binoculars are frequently described as being an artillery model, probably because of a very detailed vertical and horizontal grid that may be designed for shot fall correction. |
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C.P Goerz Wein M9 k.k. Landwehrar (kasiserich-konigliche-Landwehr) WWI Cisleithanian Austrian Territorial Army Binoculars with right ocular graticule/ ranging grid |
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Japanese External Reverse Porro Prism Binoculars. WEBSITE MUSEUM |
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OTHER BINOCULARS #10 & OPTICAL SIGHTS (MOSTLY MILITARY) |
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WWI French Hunsicker & Alexis Paris and MG marked (Ministre de Guerre) military 8x binoculars, also British Govt. military broad arrow property & disposal marked, and also marked to a Royal Flying Corps pilot who died in a RFC plane crash in 1918 in Egypt. |
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These are another pair of binoculars where the story they tell is far more interesting than the object itself. Hunsicker & Alexis (Constructeurs) of 38 Rue du Surmelin Paris were French contract suppliers to the French Ministre de la Guerre (MG) and to the UK War Office, and my binoculars are marked with the MG Ministre de Guerre) property mark plus UK military broad arrow property mark and facing broad arrow disposal mark. I have seen enough WWI French MG property marked binoculars that also have British broad arrow property marks that I think there was binoculars contract or equipment supply cooperation or formal equipment exchange between those military allied organizations. These binoculars are engraved to A. H. Govanetti who was Australian born Transvaal South Africa resident and Royal Flying Corps second lieutenant pilot Albert Harcourt Giovanetti, of the 57 Training Squadron, who died at age 29 when he crashed his RE8 2 seat biplane B3444 in Abu Sueir Egypt on Feb 3, 1918. The RE8 was the standard British reconnaissance and artillery aircraft in all theaters of war from mid 1917 to war’s end. These are marked as a gift to R.M. Christe, most likely a girlfriend or a sweetheart. |
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Optical & Film Supply Co USA 7x50 British Royal Navy broad arrow marked Military Binoculars with left graticule/ range grid. |
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WWI French Hunsicker & Alexis Paris and MG marked (Ministre de Guerre) military 8x French Army issued binoculars |
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WWI Dollond London 8x British Royal Navy broad arrow marked Military Binoculars |
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WWII (Ross) Mk IV 5x40 British Royal Observer Corps and RAF Aircraft Observers fixed focus broad arrow marked Military Binoculars |
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My pattern of fixed focus 5x40 Mk IV WWII British military Royal Observer Corps aircraft spotting and coast defense binoculars with RAF stores code “6E/383” were produced under a Royal Air Force contract to Ross commencing in 1941, and carried the “ B ” marking indicating being “bloomed (coated) for better light transmission. These binoculars have distinctive very large rubber eye shields/ hoods to exclude extraneous light, and among other functions were used by anti aircraft searchlight crews. They were originally supplied in a protective box, which is typical for fixed installation binoculars. These binoculars have red painted desiccating ports for purging moisture with dry air. (Partial Information credit Frank Florio). |
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As with my example above, these WWI 8x binoculars were made by Hunsicker & Alexis (Constructeurs) of 38 Rue du Surmelin Paris France and are “MG” French Ministre de la Guerre property marked .These binoculars were used by the French Army. |
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According to documents of the US (WWII) War Production board, my Optical and Film Supply Co (NY,NY) 7x50 binoculars were probably part of 1941-1942 US military prismatic binoculars contracts A2973, or NO893126L, or TCG35001, orTCG35002, and then transferred to the UK military under lend lease provisions. I associate the large body broad arrows as being Royal Navy. |
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My WWI Dollond London 6x Prismatic binoculars are British broad arrow property marked with large yellow body marks I associate with the Royal Navy, then over painted black which I associate with disposal. The original Dolland case is also broad arrow marked and contains spare eye cups. The case and binoculars also contain a painted/ scratched number 1539 that appears to be a property identification, and the binoculars are stamped NP.16. |
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection ( Department of Homeland Security) issued and property marked Bushnell Binoculars |
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When US government departments need small quantities of commercially available binoculars (or just about anything else) they can obtain them through contract government suppliers who source them, without the cost of a bid process. My U.S. Customs property proprty code 66Hd Bushnell branded zoom binoculars carry the exporter SMC mark of Pentax Corp and the BOL QC mark of Bushnell Optical Laboratory. |
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Optical & Film Supply Co USA 7x50 Australian D arrow D Australian No.5 Mk 1 Military Binoculars with left graticule/ range grid. |
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My Australian Military D arrow D marked and No.5 Mk 1 designated Optical and Film Supply Co (NY,USA) manufactured 7x50 binoculars were part of the Lend Lease transfer of U.S. binoculars to Australian forces during WWII, as with my Australian military marked Wollensak binoculars on the previous page. My binoculars came from Australia equipped with a US Navy clip on VD filter system. Filter systems are common on UK and Commonwealth naval used binoculars. |
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WWI 1918 U.S. Navy 3X Non Prismatic binoculars produced by the U.S. Naval Gun Factory Optical Shop Annex |
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Created by the US Navy Dec. 15 1917 seizure of the Crown Optical Co., my U.S. Naval Gun Factory Annex Optical Shop 3 power Galilean non prismatic binoculars for the US Navy in 1918. They have an interesting gravity yellow filter system that drops down when the ocular barrel is rotated. This low performance optical design would have familiar to 1860’s Civil War officers, but was obsolescent compared to 1914-1918 military prismatic binoculars, including those above. |