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K MART Waco, Texas, USA 1968 ad. Brand: FOCAL binoculars |
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Japanese External Reverse Porro Prism Binoculars. VIRTUAL MUSEUM |
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MARK OHNO |
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Period Advertising for Miniature Binoculars Ursprüngliche Werbung für Miniaturferngläser. La Publicité Originale Pour les Jumelles Miniatures. ミニチュア双眼鏡のヴィンテージ広告. Старые объявления для миниатюрных бинокль. Vintage Reklam för Kikare Miniatyr. Antigua Publicidad de Prismáticos en Miniatura. Pubblicità Vintage per Binocoli in Miniatura. |
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THE BROADWAY San Bernardino, California, USA. Dept store. 1971 ad. Brand: CENTURA |
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THE BROADWAY Chris-Town, Scottsdale, Fashion Park Phoenix, Arizona, USA. 1970 ad. Dept. store. Brand: CENTURA. Note term “Mi c ron shape” to invoke but not infringe on the “Mi k ron” trademark. |
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Centura 6x15 CF binoculars |
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E J KORVETTE Pottstown, Pennsylvania USA. 1964 ad. Brand: KORVETTES |
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E J KORVETTE Trumbull, Connecticut, USA. Dept store. 1970 ad. Brand: KORVETTES |
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E.J.Korvette (AKA Korvettes) was an American discount department store chain, from 1948-1980. Spartans Industries owned the Korvette trademark 1968-1990 for binoculars (Spartans merged with EJ Korvette in 1966) |
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MONTGOMERY WARD Kansas City, Missouri, USA 1959 ad Brands: ADAMS, PLUM |
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Adams 6x15 binoculars |
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HOWLANDS Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA. Dept store. 1960 ad. |
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WAR SURPLUS STORES 2405 American Ave, Long Beach; and 926 19th St., Bakersfield; and1413 Lincoln St., Santa Monica; and 918 South Main St., Los Angeles, California, USA 1950 ad |
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UNITED BINOCULAR CO. 9043 S. Western Av., Chicago, Illinois, USA 1956 Christmas catalog Brands: UNITED, sometimes YOSHIDA or RKK or AOCo or Nippon Kogaku binoculars |
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NICHOLS Canandaigua New York, 1976 ad. Brands: TASCO binoculars |
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CONWAY CAMERA CO Andover/Graceland & Evanston Illinois, USA. Camera stores. 1957 ad |
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FRED AMES 1315Cottonwood, Richland, Washington USA. 1951 ad. Brand: BUSNHELL binoculars |
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H & H SURPLUS 1028 West Baltimore St., Baltimore, Maryland USA 1966 ad. Brand: unknown |
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BOSCOV’S , Lebanon, Pennsylvania, USA. 1972 ad. Brand: STELLAR binoculars |
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GIBSON’S DISCOUNT CENTER Lubbock, Texas, USA. 1968 ad. Brand: TASCO BINOCULARS |
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BALK AND SON Carroll, Iowa, USA. 1951 ad Brand: APEX binoculars |
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EIKOW OPTICAL CO LTD Japan 1967 manufacturer’s catalog. Brand: EIKOW, AIRPORT. 6x15 and 7x18 independent focus and center focus shown. |
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HOOVER 1032 SW Jackson, Portland Or USA. 1950 Advertisement. Importer, mail order retailer. Brands: Unknown, probably AOCo/Asahi Optical or AOCo/Bushnell |
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United Binocular Co of Chicago Illinois USA was an active binoculars importer for a great many years and mailed catalogs to anybody in the USA who requested them, so they are among the most common of vintage binoculars catalogs. The catalogs are never dated, but the company was founded in 1936 and there is a page inside that mentions “20th year of binocular know how” or “ 30th year…”, so they can be dated that way. The catalogs covers were sometimes used for a couple years before being redesigned, or even the basic picture used a decade later with a different color. Also, dated inserts or sale prices are sometimes enclosed. And catalogs are sometimes still in their postmarked envelope. By the way, I think somebody in the company really liked waterfalls, and there is probably a story behind that. |
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Calculating the date of United Binocular Co Catalogs. Berechung der Datum „United Binocular Co.“ Katalogen. Calcut de la Date de catalogues «United Binocullar Co» Beräkning av Dagen för ‘United Binocular Co’. El Càlculo de la Fecha de «Catálogos United Binocular Co». |
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1953 |
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1957 |
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1963 |
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1966 |
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1956 |
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Advertisements cropped & edited for relevance. Presented for not-for-profit purposes of historical research and education. Vintage advertisements give insight into the nature of binoculars distribution and into dates of retail activity of brands and models. |
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NC STORES Fairbanks, Alaska, USA. 1954 ad. Brand: LICHTER binoculars |
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1953 |
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COAST INSTRUMENT Long Beach, California USA. 1952 ad. Brand: Bushnell binoculars |
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MACKS SPORTING GOODS 1666 Washington Blvd, Ogden, Utah, USA 1957 Ad. Sporting goods retailer. Brand: S & A binoculars. S & A was SWIFT AND ANDERSON , which later became SWIFT |
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UPDYKE’S SPORTING GOODS , 428 Penn St.,Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, USA 1950 Brand: NIPPON KOGAKU MIKRON binoculars |
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PALLEY SUPPLY CO 6321 San Fernando Rd, Glendale, California USA. 1951 ad. |
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SCHIEDERMAYER’S HARDWARE Appleton, Wisconsin, USA. Hardware store 1967 ad. |
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ALEXANDERS Bridgeport Ct. Dept. stores. 1976 ad. |
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ZCMI Provo, Utah, USA. 1973 ad. Brand: TASCO |
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ZCMI Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. 1973 |
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GIBSON’S DISCOUNT CENTER Ogden, Utah USA. 1963 ad. Brand: HORIZON BINOCULARS |
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ALMART Wilmington, delaware USA. 1969 ad. Brand: TASCO BINOCULARS |
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CENTRAL HARDWARE St Louis Missouri, USA 1965 Ad. |
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CENTRAL HARDWARE St Louis Missouri, USA 1964 Ad. |
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Most catalogs almost always have a blurb such as “17th year”. Add this to the founding year of 1936 and this is a 1953 catalog.”20th year” is a 1956 catalog. ‘27th year” is a 1963 catalog. “30th year” is a 1966 catalog. And so on. Though not dated, once in a while catalogs will also have some reference to pricing being effective as of a certain date. |
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CONTACT US WITH INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: miniature.binoculars@gmail.com |
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1955 |
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BOSTON STORE Milwaukee, Wisconson, USA 1978 ad Brand: TASCO |
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PEERLESS CAMERA New York City USA. 1952 ad. Brand: LEMONT binoculars |
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PEERLESS CAMERA New York City USA. 1952 ad. |
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PEERLESS & WILLOUGHBY New York City USA. 1964 ad. |
