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My Spindler & Hoyer Gottingen 6x30 Dienstglas WWII German military binoculars with graticule were made prior to 1940, when codes replaced maker names. The “ M ” indicated metric faceplate screws, and the H6400 refers to the graticule. |
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My WWI French made French “ MG ” Minist č re de la Guerre and also British government broad arrow property marked PSJP binoculars and case were made by the Soci é te Parisienne de Jumelles ŕ Prismes, which according to the 1915 “Le Monde Economique” and the 1925 “Revue D’Optique” was located at 93 rue de la Folie-M é ricourt, Paris, France |
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These carry a British “ D ” mark I cannot identify, British army property broad arrows, and “ S2 ” marking for substitute equivalent type 2. |
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U.S. Army M6 Periscope for Stuart M3 and M5 Tanks |
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The periscope allowed viewing outside the tank from inside protected from direct trajectory impacts. |
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My U.S. WWII era M-6 tank periscope was derived from the British Vickers Mk IV periscope, itself derived from the Polish Gwz 34 periscope. As many as five of these were utilized on the WWII M3 and M5 Stuart light tanks, and they were also used in other AFV/ armored fighting vehicle applications. Similar periscopes were also used in Sherman tanks. |
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Stuart M5 front periscope |
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Stuart M3 tank turret periscope |
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These were a quite common surplus optical device in the 1960’s/1970’s US consumer army navy surplus retail market. |
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NON MINIATURE BINOCULARS AND OPTICS: MOSTLY MILITARY |
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Japanese External Reverse Porro Prism Binoculars. WEBSITE MUSEUM |
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OTHER BINOCULARS #19 & OPTICAL SIGHTS/ MOSTLY MILITARY |
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French Huet Early and Late 20th Century Civilian Binoculars |
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FOR GERMAN WWII BINOCULAR and OPTICAL MANUFACTURER CODES |
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FOR LIST OF JAPANESE WWII BINOCULAR MARKINGS SEE BOTTOM OF |
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In addition to lots of French Huet military binoculars, the collection has accumulated various French Huet civilian binoculars |
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MONTHLY NEWLY ADDED ITEMS ARE INSERTED THROUGHOUT THE SECTION AND NOT NECESSARILY ON THE LAST PAGE. Redirected search such as google image may display old content or distortion: try a refresh and or go directly to the site : http//www.miniaturebinoculars.com |
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South African “ UM ”/ South African Defense Forces Marked Karl Hartmann-Optik Porlerom 8x60 Military Binoculars. Case owner marked Brigadier W. North Jones |
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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, and 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 . |
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1960’s Hartmann catalog with this model |
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The M inside U/Union of South Africa military mark is found on other Union of South Africa military equipment. |
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WWII Spindler & Hoyer 6x30 German Dienstglas Military Binoculars. |
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WWI SPJP Soci é te Parisienne de Jumelles ŕ Prismes French Govt. “MG” Minist č re de la Guerre and also British Army broad Arrow property marked |
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1926/1927 Carl Zeiss Nedinsco Gravenhage (Dutch Manufactured) Ej ército Argentino / Argentine Military contract Infanteria y Cabelleria (Infantry and Cavalry) binoculars, Property #2627 |
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The Nederlandse Instrumenten Compagnie (known as Nedinsco) was a Dutch subsidiary of Zeiss that was founded in 1921, and which produced mostly military contract binoculars, when Germany was limited against producing war materiel by the WWI Versailles treaty. Nedinsco produced my 1926/ 1927 6x30 binoculars serial number 1354243 under contract for the Argentine military/ Ej é rcito Argentino , for use of Infanty & Cavalry/ Infanteria y Caballeria . Acquired in Argentina. |
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1926/1927 Carl Zeiss Nedinsco Gravenhage (Dutch Manufactured) Ej ército Argentino / Argentine Military contract Infanteria y Cabelleria (Infantry and Cavalry) binoculars, Property #1146 |
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Nedinsco produced my second 1926/ 1927 6x30 binoculars serial number 1352762 under contract for the Argentine military/ Ej é rcito Argentino , for use of Infanty & Cavalry/ Infanteria y Caballeria. It has been repainted at some point, and was acquired in Argentina. |
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Falklands/ Malvinas War Era Meopta Czechoslovakia made 6x30 Ejercito Argentino / Argentine Army Anteojo Binocular/ telescopic binoculars |
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My Ejercito Argentino/ Argentine Army 6x30 military binoculars were made by the Meopta firm in Czechoslovakia, under contract to the Argentine military. These type binoculars are known to have been in active service during the Falklands/ Malvinas Islands conflict of 1982 |
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Argentine Light Machine Gun Soldier in Falklands with binoculars |
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Circa late 1950’s? Hensoldt Bundeswehr (German Army) 8x30 Dienstglas Military Binoculars |
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My Bundeswehr (post WW II German army) issued Hensoldt DF 8x30 fully rubber armored Dienstglas (military binoculars) feature clever pop inside outside rubber ocular/eyepiece covers. The binoculars are nitrogen gas filled. The 12-124-8444 marking on these are related to NSN 6650-12-124-8444 for Fernrohr, Doppel (double telescope or binoculars) and I think these date to the 1960’s, though I’ve seen conflicting information on that. Zeiss had acquired a majority stock holding of Hensoldt in 1954, so these are sometimes referred to as being Zeiss-Hensoldt, though these are not so marked. |
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UNDER THE RUBBER |
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Early 1930’s Huet Aerix 16x50 MG (Minist č re de la Guerre ) French Army military binoculars with EXTREMELY LOW production serial number of # 16. |
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My Huet Aerix 16x50 binoculars were made by the Societ é Generale d’Optique, as marked in the case, and both binoculars and case are “ MG ” military property marked (Minist č re de la Guerre). They have an unusually low serial number of 16, of a model of military binoculars not frequently encountered, and probably were not produced in particularly large quantity. The low serial number (217) of another known example held by the on line binoculars museum fernglasmuseum.at is also suggestive of low overall production quantities. (speculative). These binoculars feature an unusual elaborate telescoping friction rod bridge system, to fix the inter ocular distance in a more positive way than pivot friction (which works less well on big and heavy binoculars like these), while allowing quicker adjustment than using a threaded rod and lock wheel. This is presumably partly because with the high 16x power eye placement has to be unusually exact for a clear view by both eyes, and a person would not want to fiddle to get it set with every use. But it is also probably related to indexing the profiled eyeshades. The case is wide enough to not have to fold the binoculars to fit. No graticule/ range grid and so marked. |
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WWI presumed L. Petit non prismatic field glasses French M.G. Minist č re de la Guerre marked and British army broad and MkV Special, marked serial number 62557 |
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My WWI era non prismatic French field glasses are not maker marked. They are M.G. Minist č re de la Guerre marked, and British Army broad arrow marked designated Mk V Spl (Special) with British applied serial number 62557. I believe they are made by L. Petit based on the following 1. Another identical MG & broad arrow MK V Special marked pair serial number 66920 seen marked with L. Petit mfgr with identical oculars shape and thumbwheel shape; 2. ocular and thumbwheel shape with other French manufactures of similar non prismatic binoculars ( Colmont, Chevelier etc. ) not the same. Given the number of WWI MG French and also British marked binoculars it seems a cooperative French/UK WWI military binoculars procurement/ mobilization supply. |
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I do not recognize the H * (H star) British marking. If anybody can document: www.miniature.binoculars.com |
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My Carl Zeiss Jena Feldstecher 8 FACHT (8 power) binoculars serial no. 59929 were produced in Germany around 1907. They are stamped No. 1 which is probably a property number (binocular #1), and are also marked as sold by Mayrowitz of NYC, and are engraved as property of the State of New Jersey Dept of Conservation and Development, which was formed in 1915, probably transferred from the precedent organization. This organization later transformed into the current New Jersey DEP/ Dept of Environmental Protection. |
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Carl E.B. Mayrowitz is an optical retailer opened in New York City in 1875, and who also had locations in London and Paris, and who still exists in a NYC location. |
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Ca. 1907 Carl Zeiss Feldstecher 8 Facht sold by E. B. Mayrowitz of New York and property marked to the State Of New Jersey (USA) Dept of Conservation and Development. |
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1944 U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION PROPERTY MARKED Spencer Lens Co Buffalo NY ex U.S. Navy Mark 30 Mod. 0 binoculars |
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My 1944 US Navy Mark 30 Mod. 0 binoculars were made by Spencer Lens Co. of Buffalo NY for the US Navy, and were subsequently obtained and owned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Equipment like binoculars that were surplus to US military needs were made available to U.S. government agencies by the US Surplus Property Act of 1944 Statute 756,50a/US Code, and so were widely used by any agency that could use them. |
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Carry Case Property Markings |
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1942 U.S. ATTD/ ALCOHOL TAX DIV OF IRS PROPERTY DOCUMENTED ex U.S. Army M9 Universal Camera Corp. 6x30 binoculars W.P.B. (War Production Board) marked |
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the FBI 22 marking is presumably a field office item log number for non assigned equipment: ie: the property log that Agent A logged out binoculars# 22 for an assignment on Jan 5,1965 and then returned them Jan 20,1965. |
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As WWII ended, the US had huge quantities of military surplus to deal with. A neighbor who served in a US WWII Army motor pool in the pacific told me they were ordered to install all their vehicle spare parts onto vehicles. And then all these vehicles were promptly placed on barges and taken past the reef and dumped in the sea. Instant solution to pesky surplus. (...plus the US govt. actually had agreements with domestic automotive makers, particularly Ford, not to return surplus military vehicles into the US market). The US Surplus Property Act of 1944 Statute 756,50a/US Code gave federal agencies priority to receive any war surplus goods they could reutilize. So, though not commonly seen, it explains the FBI 22 marking and the two federal agency asset labels on my WWII era Navy Mark 21 SARD Bu. Aero binoculars, which were built by the Kollsman Instrument Co. div. of the Square D Co. under their June 1942-Feb 1943 contract 88-B-320 from the newly created U.S. Navy purchasing agency BU. Aero/ Bureau of Aeronautics. The newer bar code asset tag appears to be in code 39 format, which the DOD/ Department of Defense adopted in 1981 and other federal agencies adopted soon after. |
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U.S. FBI #22 PROPERTY MARKED SARD ex BU. Aero/ Bureau of Aeronautics U.S. Navy Mark 21 Military Binoculars |
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The U.S. Secret service uses large high power binoculars to observe crowds, buildings, and surroundings as an integral part of their protection and counter sniper activities. Like all their equipment, their optical equipment gets periodically replaced or changed or upgraded. When a company that specialized in purchasing surplus government equipment at auction, and then reselling it, obtained a few of these US Secret Service property marked Mirador Limer 11x80 binoculars some years back, I purchased two. Though my interest was probably largely about the secret service label on the binoculars, I do also like these. Even with 1,400 or so binocular to choose from, these are one of a handful I regularly grab to in order to use. Like other specialty items, these are only suited for special circumstances and conditions. Mirador is indicated as a registered trademark, but does not seem to show up as a US trademark in TESS, but does show up as Canadian trademark TMA294949 for binoculars from 1984-2000. Mirador binoculars were associated with the Mirador Optical Corporation of Marina Del Rey California in many US binoculars trade listings, and Mirador Optical Corporation was a registered California Corp 9/12/1982 until dissolved 10/28/2010. The U.S. Mirador entity is presumed to be an importer/ distributor, as Mirador also had a sales presence in Europe. |
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Two U.S. SECRET SERVICE PROPERTY MARKED MIRADOR LIMER BCF1180 11 X 80 BINOCULARS |
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Military No2 Mk 1AFV Armored Vehicle Binocular Periscope with Israeli markings |
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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 direct fire. This type 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 intended for tripod, trench, and bunker AFV use. Israel bought a quantity of these from the UK, but this example was made in 1980, has Hebrew markings, has a really low #273 serial number, so I think this example may have been manufactured or assembled by Israel ? (speculation). |
