Japanese External Reverse Porro Prism Binoculars. WEBSITE MUSEUM |
OTHER BINOCULARS #6 & OPTICAL SIGHTS |
Taylor Optical Factory Manufactured 7x35 Cutaway Binoculars |
WANTED TO PURCHASE FOR THIS MUSEUM: FACTORY CUTAWAY BINOCULARS. Contact miniature.binoculars@gmail.com |
My Taylor Optical 7x35 binoculars are a salesman sample or trade show factory cutaway custom machined in a way to show off it’s various internal components. |
Having worked in engineering and marketing in a lock manufacturer and in a gun manufacturer, and also as a manufacturer’s rep, including involvement with trade shows, sales meetings, and distributor meetings: I am familiar with and have been involved in the creation and use of cutaway products to show internal mechanisms. Always rare and always produced in small handful quantities, these were a physical way to promote new internal features prior the onset of video promotion, used as show or sales samples, or as engineering or training tools. Their design was always an engineering/ model shop challenge, and having worked for a year as a machinist, I appreciate the custom work. I have a large collection of cutaway padlocks, and small collections of cutaway guns, locks, door closers, binoculars, and some other various cutaway sectioned items, and always find them clever and interesting. |
Leitz Wetzlar WWII Bulgarian Military Cutaway Sectioned 6x30 Bidox Training ot Instructional Binoculars |
My E. Leitz Wetzlar 6x30 Bidox cutaway sectioned binoculars were obtained from Bulgaria. and were used in the Bulgarian WWII training program of military optical technicians. With WWII military mobilization, no country had enough binoculars or other military optics. Countries with existing binoculars and military and civilian optical manufacturing industries such as the US, UK, Japan, Germany and France expanded them and in many cases established new factories. They also used civilian requisitioned binoculars. Since those countries had no binoculars to spare for export, some other countries like Chile established new military optical industries. Most countries established military binoculars repair programs, and the Bulgarian program used cutaway sectioned binoculars for training technicians. The ocular is in a hand removable state (with one missing), rather than being in it’s normal captured fixation, which is likely for a hands on training creation where people are going to remove parts. The prisms are clearly pencil marked with settings, compatible with training in adjusting prisms, and commonly done in production. Leitz Bidox binoculars were produced from 1927-1953. The serial number of these Bidox binoculars seem to be outside of the normal expected serial number range of Leitz Bidox binoculars (greater) for unknown reasons. |
1917-1918 U.S. Navy Bureau of Navigation, U.S. Naval Gun Factory Optical Shop Annex Produced 10x45 Military Binoculars |
The U.S. Navy Bureau of Navigation existed from 1862-1942, with activities ranging from charts, navigation research & instruments to Navy personnel management and assignment. The U.S. Naval Gun Factory Optical Shop Annex in Rochester NY was a WWI U.S. government owned manufacturer formed in 1917 by U.S. Navy seizure of the Crown Optical Co. (a lens and binoculars manufacturer located at 203 State St., Rochester NY). The justification published by the Navy in 1918 was that the Crown Optical Co. had large US military and British military government contracts to produce binoculars, and that by commandeering (nationalizing) the facility and turning it into an annex of the Washington Navy Yard, the Navy could take over and force faster fulfillment of those contracts. (See my listing of Crown Optical Co’s UK & US binoculars contracts with my Crown Optical Co British military binoculars below). The Rochester Optical shop annex factory was closed down in 1919, soon after war’s end, and all of it’s equipment and it’s US Navy personnel were sent to building 157 of the Washington Navy Yard.My pattern of 10x45 Navy binoculars are normally shipboard equipment for bridge , flag officers, and lookouts. |
WWI British Military 6x30 Binoculars Produced Under Contract by Crown Optical Co , Rochester, New York USA, Prior to the 1918 Takeover of That Company by the US Navy |
The Crown Optical Co. was formed in 1906 as a US lens and binoculars maker, and had WWI British military contracts for binoculars including #B750-579W of 7/15/16 ($350,000) and B1264-1015W of 5/14/17 ($350,000), and US military contracts for binoculars including a 4/22/17 contract to the Navy for 1,000 10 power binoculars which was probably the contract for the binoculars above ($110,000), and #1573 of 8/21/17 ($750,000). According to the U.S. Navy Dept of Ordnance publication, the Crown Optical company was commandeered by the Navy Dept on Dec 15, 1917 to become the U.S. Naval Gun Factory Optical Shop Annex. If you issue a contract for nearly $16 million (2021 dollars) and 3 months later seize the co. and don’t have to pay ...is that a planned fiscal scheme??? My Crown Optical Co 6x30 binoculars #9518 carry UK military broad arrow property marks, and were presumably from either the 1916 or 1917 UK contracts. These have external prism collimation screws ( this pair needed collimation). Obtained in the UK. |
Military No2 Mk 1AFV Armored Vehicle Binocular Periscope |
My No 2 Mk. 1/1 Binocular Periscopic A.F.V. (Armored Fighting Vehicle) was derived from WWII trench periscope designs, which permitted a magnified view without exposing your head to sharpshooter or sniper fire. Mine was made in 1980 and it has a really low #273 serial number much lower than all the earlier British examples, and it has Hebrew markings. |
This type of UK periscope design (No 2 Mk1/1, 1/3 etc) is often observed marked A.K.& S, (UK optics maker A. Kershaw & Son) starting around 1948. While marked A.F.V. (Armored Fighting Vehicle) these were also specifically intended for tripod, trench, bunker and AFV use. It is known that Israel bought a quantity of these from the UK. But the late 1980 date on this one (being post A.K.& S); and the low serial number; and the lack of a marked UK manufacturer suggests this example may have been manufactured or assembled by Israel ? (speculation). |
Objective shields |
Wheel for yellow ocular filters |
Serial #4152 |
Facing Broad arrow British military disposal mark |
Broad arrow British property mark |
RAAF- Royal Australian Air Force Schutz Ruf & Co . Kassel Uranos 6x50 Military Binoculars |
My WWII Royal Air Force 6x30 binoculars were made in 1941 by the British manufacturer Watson Baker Co Ltd of Broadwater Rd, Welwyn Garden City, Herts, which apparently also made parts for the DeHaviland Mosquito bomber aircraft in WWII. These binoculars carry the AM Air Ministry logo and the AM stores item code 6E-293 . The makings are contrasting metal filled rather than engraved and paint filled. These same pattern binoculars were also produced by other UK manufacturers such as Wray. Surprisingly to me, though clearly 1941 dated and A.M./ Air Ministry marked, these do not carry the broad arrow I am used to seeing on British military equipment. But I have no personal knowledge if air ministry contracted goods carried the broad arrow. |
My Royal Australian Air Force issued binoculars were made by the German firm Schutz Ruf & Co. in Kassel Germany, and are the Uranus 6x50 model, and they carry the “ Melbourne ” marking seen on some other Australian imported Schutz Ruf & Co binoculars. The similar later post war pattern of Schutz Uranos binoculars appears in the Schutz catalog in our website catalogs section, as seen left. Supposedly a marking “ Schutz Ruf & Co Kassel indicates a manufacturing date between 1926 and WWII. The meaning of the “ TNH Steward ” marking is unknown. The RAAF binoculars were probably not produced in large quantities. |
“Schutz Ruf & Co. Kassel TNH Steward” |
“Uranus 6x50 Melbourne” |
Royal Australian Air Force mark “RAAF”. |
1941 WWII Royal Air Force British Air Ministry 6x Watson Baker Military Binoculars |
WWII beh Leitz German 7x50 Kriegsmarine Naval Military binoculars with Interesting History |
My beh Leitz “ M ” Kriegsmarine marked 7x50 poro II binoculars were obtained in Gibraltar and brought home to the UK by Kenneth Douglas (Doug) Williams, who was in a military intelligence unit 1945-1946. The Kriegsmarine vessels that surrendered in Gibraltar and created much excitement were German submarines U-485 and U-541, which surrendered on May 11 & 12 1945. Military intelligence would have had priority access to the subs to examine logs, records, codes, orders, com. gear, and new equipment. Both U-boats would have had some quantity of binoculars like these, and all the binoculars would have been grabbed to reuse or as a high desirability souvenir. As a youngest member of the group, one of the senior officers might well have given binoculars from one of the subs to Doug to bring home. Yes: purely speculative, but is also entirely plausible and logical. Thanks to Les Ong & relatives of Doug Williams for assistance in documentation ! |
Submarine U-485 or U-541 surrendering at Gibraltar. Courtesy of Imperial War Museum: research & not for profit educational use |
©IWMA 29166 |
Kriegsmarne use |
Doug Williams in Gibraltar 1946 |
“M” is Kreigmarine mark |
“ beh ” is Ernst Leitz. “ (T) ” is Transparenzbelag (bloomed), “ KF ” is K ä lte-Fett (cold weather lube) |
Our Australian Air Force Model |
Our Civilian Model |
1917-1918 U.S. Army Signal Corps, U.S. Naval Gun Factory Optical Shop Annex Produced 6x30 Military Binoculars |
In WWI the US Army Signal Corps still used forms of visual signaling such as aerial telegraphy (wig wag flag signaling shown right) and heliographs (mirror based sun flash signaling). So they issued a lot of binoculars to their troops, such as my 6x30 binoculars with ocular filters manufactured by the US Naval Gun Factory Optical Shop Annex in Rochester NY. |
Goerz WWII Bulgarian Marked Military Cutaway\ Sectioned 6x30 Training/ Instructional Binoculars, Гьорц 6x30 учебен |
Carl Zeiss WWII Bulgarian Marked Military Cutaway Sectioned 8x24 Training or Instructional Binoculars Цейс 8x24 учебен |
My Carl Zeiss 8x24 cutaway sectioned binoculars from Bulgaria. were used in the Bulgarian WWII training program of military optical technicians. These are marked in Bulgarian Цейс ( Zeiss) and учебен ( training or instructional) |
My Goerz 6x30 cutaway sectioned binoculars were obtained from Bulgaria. and were used in the Bulgarian WWII training program of military optical technicians. These are marked in Bulgarian Гьорц ( Goerz) and учебен ( training or instructional) |
Goerz WWII Bulgarian Marked Military Cutaway Sectioned 8x26 Training/ Instructional Binoculars, Гьорц 8x26 учебен |
My Goerz 6x30 cutaway sectioned binoculars were obtained from Bulgaria. and were used in the Bulgarian WWII training program of military optical technicians. These are marked in Bulgarian Гьорц ( Goerz) and учебен ( training or instructional), and markings differ from previous example. |
Busch Solluxon WWII Bulgarian Marked Military Cutaway Sectioned 6x30 Training or Instructional Binoculars |
My Busch Solluxon 6x30 cutaway sectioned binoculars were obtained from Bulgaria. and were used in the Bulgarian WWII training program of military optical technicians. In addition to the Busch factory markings these are marked in Bulgarian учебен ( training or instructional) |
Carl Zeiss WWII Bulgarian Marked Military Cutaway Sectioned 6x30 Training or Instructional Binoculars Цейс 6x30 учебен |
My Carl Zeiss 6x30cutaway sectioned binoculars were obtained from Bulgaria. and were used in the Bulgarian WWII training program of military optical technicians. |
These are marked in Bulgarian Цейс ( Zeiss) and учебен ( training or instructional) |
Huet French WWII Bulgarian Modified and Marked Cutaway Sectioned 8x30 Training or Instructional Binoculars ХЮЕТ 8x30 учебен |
My Huet 8x30 cutaway sectioned binoculars were obtained from Bulgaria. and were used in the Bulgarian WWII training program of military optical technicians. The Huet factory markings have been over marked by ХЮЕТ ( Huet in Bulgarian), and these are also marked in Bulgarian учебен ( training or instructional) |
WWII Canadian Army Military Property Marked Bausch & Lomb 6x30 binoculars |
The U.S. firm of Bausch & Lomb of Rochester N.Y. produced many binoculars for U.S. and for U.K. military contracts from the early 1900’s on. Based on my Canadian army marked (broad arrow in C) Bausch & Lomb 6x30 binoculars, the company also produced binoculars for Canadian military contracts. Mine are in a British army broad arrow marked case No.3 case which had been made by Wolesky & Co. London England. |
Goerz WWII Bulgarian Marked Military Cutaway Sectioned 8x26 Training/ Instructional Binoculars, second variation, Гьорц 6x30 учебен |
South African “ UM ”/ South African Defense Forces Marked Karl Hartmann-Optik Porlerom 8x60 Military Binoculars |
My South African Defense Forces issued ( UM property mark) 8x60 binoculars were made by the German firm Karl Hartmann-Optik, of Steindorf-Wetzlar, Germany, which existed 1921-1992, with Porlerom models from 1936, with 8x60 models around the 1960’s, as per the Hartmann catalog in the catalogs section of the website. The South African Defense forces existed by that name from 1957-1994. Probably produced in small quantities. Case marked Brigadier W. North Jones. Obtained in the UK . |
1960’s Hartmann catalog with this model |
The M inside U/Union of South Africa military mark is found on other Union of South Africa military equipment. |
Uncommon Types of Older Variable Power Civilian Binoculars Seefar & Atlas |
Seefar cam oculars to provide 7x to 12x power variable magnification. |
The idea of variable power or variable magnification binoculars is not new, and a few different methods have been used, including that used by these two older binoculars. The Seefar binoculars on the left cam the two ocular lens packs to increase magnification. They were made by the Japanese manufacturer Toyoshima Koki Seisakujo (manufacturer code JB164 ) and carry a presumed exporter mark of “ T.K.C . ”. (not identified). The Atlas binoculars on the right rotate a turret to select oculars to give either 8x or 12x magnification. I associate Atlas binoculars as dating to the 1950’s. Though “zoom” variable power binoculars are popular today, image and collimation compromises inherent in their design make them optically somewhat inferior to fixed power binoculars. |
These Atlas binoculars use rotating turrets to align two ocular sets for either 6x or 12x magnification. |
My Goerz 8x26 cutaway sectioned binoculars were obtained from Bulgaria and were used in the Bulgarian WWII training program of military optical technicians. These are marked in Bulgarian Гьорц ( Goerz) and учебен ( training or instructional) |