7860 replies to this topic

[Echolight]

Those ones on the left look kind of German-ish. Probably not.

[Senex Bibax]

based on classified and auctions, carl wetzlar were by far the largest brand of old japanese binoculars in canada for many years other than maybe bushnell, and i think it is a close race with bushnell

 

here is an ebay listing for carl wetzlar micro-executives.  they are pretty similar.  carl wetzlar was a brand of william carsen, who were, among other things, the olympus distributor in canada for a long time.  they seem to have sourced carl wetzlar product from all over in japan with variable quality.  they have some interesting individual designs that do not seem to have made it in the us.  it is hard to believe they had custom designs made for such a small market, so i suspect they bought up stock on some designs rejected or given up on by big us players.

 

 

https://www.ebay.ca/...hoAAOSwWKhg5hC0

Like many other captive brands from chain stores, Carl Wetzlar were made by various Japanese companies, with varying levels of quality - some meh and some surprisingly good. I have seen several different J-B numbers on them, and have a (non-functional) pair that are clearly Japanese but lack any J- markings.

 

Eaton's department stores sold Carl Wetzlar optics in the 1960s and 1970s, maybe into the 1980s.

Edited by Senex Bibax, 20 July 2021 - 06:47 AM.

[semlin]

Like many other captive brands from chain stores, Carl Wetzlar were made by various Japanese companies, with varying levels of quality - some meh and some surprisingly good. I have seen several different J-B numbers on them, and have a (non-functional) pair that are clearly Japanese but lack any J- markings.

 

Eaton's department stores sold Carl Wetzlar optics in the 1960s and 1970s, maybe into the 1980s.

 

i think the carl wetzlar brand must have extended beyond eaton's to other outlets given how dominant it is in the used market today.  it would be fun to do an inventory and history of all the fake german canadian brand names for japanese binoculars, along with an analysis of why canadians needed to be told their binoculars were german not japanese.  the americans seemed to have been ok with the truth.  just the other day i saw a pair of binoculars optimistically advertised as "made in japan with german optics".

Edited by semlin, 20 July 2021 - 03:23 PM.

[8x30mark]

i picked up a half of a binocular and no idea what make or age? all i can say is its an 8x40, uncoated and approx 28cm in length... a mystery? i did find a pic showing it complete but thats all i can find?

 

Edited by 8x30mark, 21 July 2021 - 07:53 AM.

[8x30mark]

a few more pics...

 

[brentwood]

Looks like it was ex RN?  Fairly recent? 

[8x30mark]

Looks like it was ex RN?  Fairly recent? 

yeah it looks recent but no anti reflective coatings which is odd for a post war optic?

[FrankL]

My guess is that it’s a circa 1930’s French naval SRPI Puteaux which has been reconditioned. I’ve seen naval  SRPI’s which look similar but not quite like this one. 

[Senex Bibax]

i think the carl wetzlar brand must have extended beyond eaton's to other outlets given how dominant it is in the used market today.  it would be fun to do an inventory and history of all the fake german canadian brand names for japanese binoculars, along with an analysis of why canadians needed to be told their binoculars were german not japanese.  the americans seemed to have been ok with the truth.  just the other day i saw a pair of binoculars optimistically advertised as "made in japan with german optics".

Something in the back of my mind says KMart Canada also sold Carl Wetzlar.

 

On a related note, I have a pair of "Admiral GMC Palomar" 7x50 roof prism binos. This is a Swiss brand, but there are discreet, barely visible "J-E34" and "J-B15" markings.

[Pinewood]

Hello,

 

There is a binocular, a Porro II,  on sale on that infamous digital auction site:

 

https://www.ebay.com...vYAAOSwEHhhCHLP

 

Does anyone recognize the markings on the left prism cover?  I think those markings are British.

 

In any case, as in a similar auction, the other engravings seem recent and the glass has dubious connection to the alleged previous owner.

 

Stay safe,

Arthur

Edited by Pinewood, 11 August 2021 - 08:26 AM.

[ulrichw]

Hello,

 

There is a binocular, a Porro II,  on sale on that infamous digital auction site:

 

https://www.ebay.com...vYAAOSwEHhhCHLP

 

Does anyone recognize the markings on the left prism cover.  I think those markings are British.

 

In any case, as in a similar auction, the other engravings seem recent and the glass has dubious connection to the alleged previous owner.

 

Stay safe,

Arthur

Classic Ross MkIV No.5 7x50. The owner's engravings are certainly later, but quite possibly contemporaneous. 

[Pinewood]

Hello UlrichW,

 

Thank you, for that information.  

 

I am reminded of a sale on that same digital auction site of of a 7x50 Zeiss Septar, a truly collectible binocular.  It was engraved with the name of a skipper of a destroyer, who was off Omaha Beach, on D-Day.  I lacked the funds to purchase it, but in retrospect, I think it highly unlikely that a US Navy officer would have purchased such a glass, or received it as a gift.  They were introduced in 1937, six years after that officer graduated from the Naval Academy, and just two years after Zeiss was unlikely to export to the USA.

Caveat emptor!

 

Stay safe,

Arthur

[ulrichw]

Hello UlrichW,

 

Thank you, for that information.  

 

I am reminded of a sale on that same digital auction site of of a 7x50 Zeiss Septar, a truly collectible binocular.  It was engraved with the name of a skipper of a destroyer, who was off Omaha Beach, on D-Day.  I lacked the funds to purchase it, but in retrospect, I think it highly unlikely that a US Navy officer would have purchased such a glass, or received it as a gift.  They were introduced in 1937, six years after that officer graduated from the Naval Academy, and just two years after Zeiss was unlikely to export to the USA.

Caveat emptor!

 

Stay safe,

Arthur

Indeed. A bit like seeing a battered Galilean for sale, marked "G.A. Custer" and almost certainly picked up after the battle of Little Big Horn. I suppose where there is a demand, there will be a supply. Best policy is to look at the quality and fair price of the item without the rather speculative historical associations.

[Pinewood]

Indeed. A bit like seeing a battered Galilean for sale, marked "G.A. Custer" and almost certainly picked up after the battle of Little Big Horn. I suppose where there is a demand, there will be a supply. Best policy is to look at the quality and fair price of the item without the rather speculative historical associations.

Hello Ulrich,

I have a 1917 Zeiss Telex.  Do you know the name of Erwin Rommel's WWI regiment and the name of a fellow officer?

 

Stay safe,

Arthur 

[FrankL]

Look at the other stuff he has for sale and has sold (in feedbacks) and it becomes apparent that he specializes in marking specious names of people, military units, vessels, sports clubs etc. on what are otherwise genuine antiques. A clever scam and judging by his eBay feedback he’s been quite successful at it. 

[Grimnir]

Look at the other stuff he has for sale and has sold (in feedbacks) and it becomes apparent that he specializes in marking specious names of people, military units, vessels, sports clubs etc. on what are otherwise genuine antiques. A clever scam and judging by his eBay feedback he’s been quite successful at it. 

 

Interesting! I wondered why an American sailor would have British binoculars.

 

Graham

[j.gardavsky]

Hello UlrichW,

 

Thank you, for that information.  

 

I am reminded of a sale on that same digital auction site of of a 7x50 Zeiss Septar, a truly collectible binocular.  It was engraved with the name of a skipper of a destroyer, who was off Omaha Beach, on D-Day.  I lacked the funds to purchase it, but in retrospect, I think it highly unlikely that a US Navy officer would have purchased such a glass, or received it as a gift.  They were introduced in 1937, six years after that officer graduated from the Naval Academy, and just two years after Zeiss was unlikely to export to the USA.

Caveat emptor!

 

Stay safe,

Arthur

Around 1936/37, Zeiss has been exporting the Septar 7x50H, KF (version for the navy), to Sweden and U.K., so far I have seen in the comments on the web.

Knowing the series number of the binoculars, you can check with the history department at Zeiss Oberkochen, if these have been from a batch for the export, and to which country.

 

Here is my pair of Septars, which have never seen a battle ship, or a dirty trench,

 

[Pinewood]

Hello,

 

I settled for this 7x50  Porro II from Leitz.

 

 

 

 

Stay safe,

Arthur

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[j.gardavsky]

Hello,

 

I settled for this 7x50  Porro II from Leitz.

 

 

 

 

Stay safe,

Arthur

A very nice Leitz beh!

The body of the binoculars looks like in a very good condition.

 

Thank you for posting the pics,

JG

[selenograph]

Here my 87 year old Zeiss Telarem 18x50 (wide angle: 65m at 1000m) made of elektron with real leather is a real lightweight with only 884 grams.

 

Ralf

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Edited by selenograph, 16 August 2021 - 09:29 AM.

[Pinewood]

A very nice Leitz beh!

The body of the binoculars looks like in a very good condition.

 

Thank you for posting the pics,

JG

Hello JG,

 

I have fondness for Porro II binoculars, of which I own two more, both English. This binocular was completely overhauled, ten years, ago. The Porro II design are known as tuna fish can binoculars in the USA.  With the field lens glued to the prisms, light transmission was increased, compared to Porro I style binoculars.  Unlike your Septar, this binocular has coated lenses, but probably not coated prisms, so transmission should be very good for  a 75 year old binocular.   I like to think of Porro II binoculars as an early 'open bridge' design, in that they are have good  ergonomics.

 

Sometime, I should compare it to a Bausch & Lomb 7x50, which did have coated prisms, of the same age. 

 

Stay safe,

Arthur

Edited by Pinewood, 16 August 2021 - 02:31 PM.

[FrankL]

I have three of the Leitz (beh) WW 2 Porro II 7x50’s and they are fully coated including prisms. The field lenses in them, though, are not cemented to the prisms. If clean and in good condition these are optically superb and are among my very favourite WW 2 7x50 binoculars. But for a number of reasons they were prone to prism chipping and moisture penetration and for this reason their reputation has suffered. 

[ECP M42]

Here my 87 year old Zeiss Telarem 18x50 (wide angle: 65m at 1000m) made of elektron with real leather is a real lightweight with only 884 grams.

 

Ralf

Interesting!

This is already the third 18x of Zeiss, which I have come to know about in the last few months (maybe weeks).

After the Delfort, came out a CZJ BLC 18x80 Kriegsmarine for anti-aircraft and now this ...

 

I find all this very strange. Does it just happen to me?

You are looking for something and you can't find it in any way or anywhere, until after you pay for something like this, "the world" comes out ... and always at a lower price or better quality.  

 

 

PS: do you have any technical words to say about your Telarem ... optical quality, CA, curvature, etc?

Edited by ECP M42, 16 August 2021 - 12:30 PM.

[Pinewood]

I have three of the Leitz (beh) WW 2 Porro II 7x50’s and they are fully coated including prisms. The field lenses in them, though, are not cemented to the prisms. If clean and in good condition these are optically superb and are among my very favourite WW 2 7x50 binoculars. But for a number of reasons they were prone to prism chipping and moisture penetration and for this reason their reputation has suffered. 

Hello Frank,

 

I thank you for updating my misinformed post.

 

Stay safe,

Arthur

[pat in los angeles basin]

I do have a question on the type 2 porros. When it comes time to repair the failed  canada balsam cemented  prisms, do you commonly go with  the current modern adhesives? I'm a bit leery of an adhesive that needs even higher temps to debond . perhaps I'm imaging a problem that doesn't exist.   Regards, Pat