Japanese External Reverse Porro Prism Binoculars. WEBSITE MUSEUM

OTHER BINOCULARS #3 & OPTICAL SIGHTS (MOSTLY MILITARY)

FUJINON M22 7x50 US Army Binoculars NSN 1240-01-361-1318

My Fujinon 7x50 US Military binoculars were made under a US government contract fulfilled by aeronautic and defense prime contractor Northrop Grumman, who subcontracted to Fujinon, with some U.S. content labor conformity by Kama-Tech, who specialized in that.

The NSN (National Stock Number) for this binocular (designated model 12950938) was created July 9, 1992, and the US Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines could purchase under this NSN. Historic government pricing was $1,385.10 to $2,308.50 ! These binoculars were equipped with KillFLASH anti reflection shields, being an ARD (Anti Reflection Device) manufactured by Tenebraex Corp. of Boston, Ma. with their “SEE NOT SEEN” trademark. These binoculars have a vertical and horizontal ranging grid, and are presumably nitrogen filled. These contract binoculars do have internal laser interference protection filters against targeting and range finding lasers (Nd:YAG lasers usually with a 1064 nm wavelength). These laser filters do reduce light transmission in binoculars by around 10% and make the view through them not color neutral but with a blue hue. I can absolutely confirm this, because I happen to have the near identical civilian Fujinon 7x50 version of these same binoculars (marked as military spec) but without the laser protection, and I do prefer those for use as being distinctly brighter and without the blue tinge of these military contract binoculars (though both are really quite good ).

1979 Avimo L12A1 7x42 British Army Military Binoculars

My L12A1 7x42 fixed focus rubber armored British Military binoculars were produced in 1979 by Avimo Ltd. of Taunton UK (which had been acquired in 1971 by optics supplier United Scientific Holdings). They have a left ocular horizontal ranging grid and rubber eyecups designed to be compatible with eyeglasses or gas masks, and they have attached ocular covers, and filters, but no objective covers. These type military binoculars was used in the Falklands conflict of 1982, and in the Iraq and Afghan wars, so they are a compatible accessory for my 1966 109 military land rover ambulance and 1977 military land rover artillery tractor (both used in the Iraq War) and my ex Northern Ireland Snatch 1.5 CAV Armored 110 Land Rover that patrolled in Basra Iraq 2004-2007. it is nice when collections overlap. These binoculars have an odd non intuitive pivot geometry.

WWII German dkl Schneider D.F. 10x80 Antiaircraft Artillery (Flakglas) Binoculars

My German WWII Flakglas binoculars and it’s cradle and tripod were primarily designed for directing the aiming of antiaircraft searchlights associated with the 88mm antiaircraft artillery, and the elevation and horizontal scales are for that purpose, and an accessory lighting harness was for that night time purpose. But these were also used for general aircraft spotting, and for general observation. They were produced in large numbers by six different manufacturers from 1939-1945, and because they came in a wood case and U.S. military shipping was cheap for the troops to send war souvenirs home for morale, a lot were shipped back to the USA as souvenirs by soldiers who captured/ liberated or looted them. This particular unit is dkl marked, which is the WWII manufacturer code for Joseph Schneider Optische Werke Kreuznach, located in Bad Kreuznach Germany, and the second largest producer of these after Emil mBusch (cxn) The “ D.F . ” marking is for Doppelfernrohr (Double telescope). The blue X marking indicates use of cold weather grease #1442, and the red X indicates use of another specific grease. The cradle and circle mount on this unit is correct and functional, though the cradle is missing the right side handle, but although my tripod is similar in design to original with sliding tubular legs, it is not original, or of that period.

1928 Swiss made Kern Swiss Army 6x24 Armee-Modell Military Binoculars

My 1928 Swiss Kern Aarau 6x24 military Armee-Modell binoculars were manufactured by the optical firm of Kern & Co (which was also a maker of geodetic instruments), and was located in the northern Switzerland municipality of Aarau. The Swiss Cross + on these binoculars is a government property mark, and this property mark appears in four places on these binoculars. These binoculars do not have a ranging grid or graticule. Kern apparently commenced binocular production in 1925, and these were produced 3 years later. A 1926 dated version of these exists in another collection with serial # 95, so the serial number 2,836 on this suggests Kern produced at least that many binoculars in their first 3 years.

WWII German D.F. 10x80 Flak Binoculars Flakglas

1945 Barr and Stroud CF41 7x49 WWII British Admiralty (Navy) Binoculars (Scottish manufactured)

My Barr and Stroud CF41 military binoculars are one of the 70,000 produced in a very long production run starting 1935, and with the model stocked until around 1973/74. The AP1900a marking designates these as having colored filters controlled by dual levers for challenging weather conditions, and this model does not have a ranging gratucule. (the model CF42 had a gratucule for ranging drop of shot). These binoculars have the yellow broad arrow UK Admiralty (Navy) property mark plus the standard broad arrow Ministry of Defense property mark, and have 4 desiccating/ drying ports. So these binoculars are essentially a military naval design specific model. According to the University of Glasgow (Scotland) Barr & Stroud archives, by their serial number these binoculars date to the middle of 1945 WWII production.

1934/1935 Barr and Stroud C.F.31 7x49 Scottish Manufactured Civilian Binoculars

My Barr and Stroud C.F.31 7x49 binoculars with serial number 10,575, according to the University of Glasgow Barr & Stroud archives, were produced in either 1934 or 1935, around two years after the start of Barr and Stroud binoculars production. These binoculars are marked as distributed in the UK by the firearms and sporting goods manufacturer Cogswell & Harrison Ltd. in London, and that company has origins that date to 1770, and it still exists today). These binoculars were probably sold at retail through Cogswell & Harrison’s network of UK retail gun dealers.

1947-1951 Barr and Stroud 7x24 CF29 Scottish Manufactured Civilian Binoculars

My Barr and Stroud CF29 7x24 binoculars with serial number 96,151 were, according to University of Glasgow Barr & Stroud archives produced between 1947 and 1951, and reflect Barr and Stroud’s quick post WWII move back to supply the civilian market with products after military contracts disappeared. Like the wartime and prewar binoculars of this general pattern, the prism housings and objective caps and some other parts of the CF29 model are made from the early bakelite form of plastic, used in 1920’s jewelry, WWII German binocular cases, but now mostly known for auto distributor caps. It is somewhat brittle.

Ca 1917-1921 Ross 10x Stereo Prism Binoculars With an Interesting Past

I tend to like the (many) things which I collect to include a human provenance whenever possible: a documented history beyond the bare physical object. The vast majority of objects that survive their original ownership quickly shed their human past. So for me it is a pleasure when an item defies that norm, and  it is often merely because somebody wrote something on the object and the web now allows researching that significance. This is the case with these binoculars. The carry case for my Ross,London 10x binoculars is marked as having belonged to Leighton Hope, American Consul at the US Ensenada Consulate in Mexico (by records 1922-1926). The binoculars are marked as having been sold through the firm of G. Falconer & Co. Ltd. Hong Kong, which fits perfectly as Leighton Hope was U.S. Vice consul to Hong Kong in 1917, and U.S. consul to Hong Kong in 1921. He obviously purchased these British Ross binoculars in Hong Kong during his time there. As can be seen in the period (1928) G. Falconer & Co. (Hong Kong) Ltd. advertisement shown at left, Falconer were agents for and sold Ross binoculars and telescopes from their shop opposite Hong Kong’s main Post Office.

Inscription says: “ Leighton Hope, American Consul, Ensenada SA Mexico ”

Royal Navy antiaircraft watch in 1942 with CF41

The desiccating ports are marked “ C ” and “ B ” and “ British Patent No 435220/1934 ”

WWI Australian Military MKV Spl 4 1/2x Binoculars (French Manufacture)

My Australian Military marked         4 1/2x MkV Spl. binoculars are Australian military property marked D   D and represent what was probably a WWI expedient issue (the Spl / Special marking) of an existing and/or available stock of French made civilian non prismatic binoculars. In both WWI and WWII the massive mobilization and need for coast watching, artillery, and air defense observation far outstripped any domestic ability to supply military binoculars. So the UK, US, and Australia grabbed all usable civilian stocks and advertised for civilians to donate their (better quality) binoculars. What makes this more interesting is that they have a tag of having been serviced by the AEME V shops Instrument Section at the Cliff Port Phillip area VIC (Victoria) in 1944 . AEME is the Australian (military) Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (established in 1942). These are a pattern of binoculars that would have been familiar to US Civil War officers in the 1860s, and they were fairly obsolescent in WWII; and absolute dinosaurs in every way by WWII. (like handing a WWII soldier a bag of black powder and a civil war muzzle loading percussion musket) !

UK and Commonwealth Military Property mark

DD with broad arrow  Australian Military Property mark

“L. PETIT FABT. PARIS” L. PETIT (maker) PARIS

1941 WWII British Taylor-Hobson No.2 MK. II 6x30 Army Binoculars