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Japanese External Reverse Porro Prism Binoculars. WEBSITE MUSEUM |
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OTHER BINOCULARS #10 & OPTICAL SIGHTS |
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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. |
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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. Harcourt who was Australian born Transvaal 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 RE 8 2 seat biplane B3444 in Abu Sueir Eqypt on Feb 3, 1918. The RE 8 was the standard British reconnaissance and artillery aircraft in all theaters of war mid 1917 to war’s end. These appear marked as a gift to R.M. Christe, perhaps 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 Aircraft Observers fixed focus broad arrow marked Military Binoculars |
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My pattern of fixed focus 5x40 Mk IV WWII British military RAF 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 usages 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 No.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 marked Bushnell braded 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 Carl Zeiss Wien (Zeiss Vienna Austria factory) Austrian 6x30 Military binoculars |
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The Carl Zeiss Wien Vienna Austria affiliated assembly factory operated from 1902-1926. My military example is marked M9/13 Z (Zeiss Model of 1909/ acceptance 1913) and has a production or issue date of 10/4/16 (1916), and has a UK (Ubernahme Kommison of the Artillery) acceptance mark with Austrian imperial crown. (Partial Information credit Frank Florio). |
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French Lemaire NY State Agency property marked contract binoculars |
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I normally have around zero interest in Galilean opera glasses, including of course those very common turn of the century French Lemaire models. But these binoculars acquired unintentionally as a part of a lot of Goodwill binoculars one of which one was a Big/ Little match are an exception. I perceive the N.Y. O.G.S. Co marking to be the New York State Office of General Services (procurement) organization at the turn of the last century. I cannot identify the “PROPERTY OF THE A.O.G. C.E.” agency official and property marking. |
