Article about: I was in a local antiques arcade and one stall had a table covered in binoculars. In amongst them was one pair with Broad Arrow marks, but no other markings. At £20 it was a large punt, but
I was in a local antiques arcade and one stall had a table covered in binoculars. In amongst them was one pair with Broad Arrow marks, but no other markings. At £20 it was a large punt, but i thought what the heck and bought them.
a couple of weeks later in the local army surplus shop, I had a dig through some ww1 postcards and found the one below. I am certain the chap wtih his back to the camera is carrying a pair of this type of binocluar!
Could only have been better if the King had been carrying them!
I have a few sets of ww1/ ww2 binos and have not seen this type before. That being said during the First World War the government purchased binos from a wide range of sources, so it is unsurprising to find so many types bearing the broad arrow. I think for £20 you did well, I would certainly have taken a punt at that.
regarding the postcard, I can't say for sure, although to my mind the case on the officer's belt appears to be longer than yours, but thats just my opinion. Still a nice postcard.
Bino's look to be very similar to a French made pair I have, not the usual Gillileon type but prismatics. Not so common but they were around and my pair have the matching case and both have the double broad arrow sold out of service markings.
Nice binoculars, but the one's the staff officer is carrying in the picture are in a longer case as already mentioned. I have several pairs WW1 British issue binoculars from the Prismatic to the Galilean type. Practically every pair were made in France, but all are of different styles. They are usually graded from S1 to S4 - depending on the quality of the optics.
Thanks for the info...... I did it again, at the same place!:
Pair on the left;
Replacement case will get binned, but the strap is earlier (so its going on the case on the right). Marked "DELUXE, 8x25, 4046, /|\, H. (thinking of putting these in my 'Case no.3 prismatic binoculars, 1918'- is this appropriate?) ....... cost £14.50
pair in the middle;
NO /|\ marks so probably private purchase. The case has LUMINA on the lid and the inner marks are clear in the photos, binos marked "G.FOURNEX, Paris" and "METROPAX 8x25, 396328". Also named to "GHR Cavendish", "Sgt Doig", "Cpl James No.4 Sec" (i hope these names will lead me to the regiment(s) when i research them)..... cost £9.50
there were other ww1 binos on other stalls for £30-40, is that the standard price?
That is roughly what I pay, although I did pick up some nice German WW1 pairs at around £15 each from a local market. They can be improved a lot if you are prepared to strip and clean.
ww1 binoculars - not the usual type.
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its just an opinion.
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