Interesting binoculars.

**HARRY THE MOLE** · 08-17-2014, 04:17 PM

I was walking along the stalls at Earlestown market yesterday morning when I spotted a pair of binoculars with rubber armour. It was the armour that caught my attention really, because it reminded me of the beh 7X50 Kriegsmarine binoculars I used to have. On examination they were found to be a fairly heavy pair of 7X50 made by Iver C Weitbach & Co A/S of Copenhagen. The rubber armour is marked... VIKING BEK KASSEL CBS on the left housing, and... VIKING LUCHS 7x50 CBS on the right housing. Underneath the armour there is no markings apart from 7X50. after a little digging on the internet I discovered that Weitbach were retailers of marine optics and other equipment.

The optics are free from scratches. And although there is a little spotting inside, and the left prism is slightly cloudy - the optics are superb when looked through. They give pinpoint images. The binoculars certainly look quite old, and I suspect they are probably WW2 vintage. And as Denmark was an occupied country, it got me to wondering whether these might have been used by the Kriegsmarine.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 08-17-2014 04:17 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Flak bunker** · 08-18-2014, 01:23 PM

as far as im aware they didn't produce binoculars for the kriegsmarine during the war,the firm is still going today though Harry,originally they started producing nautical maps in the late 1700's I believe,they do allsorts now marine electronics,navigational charts etc

**kradman** · 08-19-2014, 07:36 AM

I would also think post war made ,if made for the Kriegsmarine they would be marked as such

**HARRY THE MOLE** · 08-19-2014, 09:55 AM

Not all binoculars are marked for Kriegsmarine usage. Take for example the beh binoculars, you won't find any eagle and swastika - or even 'M' marked on them! I admit that the probability is that they are civilian rather than military, but the total lack of markings - apart from 7X50 underneath the removable rubber on the top of the prism housing isn't in keeping with binoculars made for the civilian market.

**kradman** · 08-19-2014, 12:43 PM

They may have been made for the Dannish Navy Post War but i would have thought they would have Dannish Military markings ,i would also have thought if made in Denmark for the Germans wartime they would have had the three letter code mark ,as only the early war items had the maker names marked on them and they look later made as alot of the early and prewar binoculars had brass parts ,I still think made for the Civilian Market and used by one of the many shipping companys who sail out of Denmark

**Flak bunker** · 08-19-2014, 04:13 PM

that would also be my understanding of them,

**HARRY THE MOLE** · 08-19-2014, 07:51 PM

I only just noticed today that there is a shield cut into the black paint. It is noticeable on the black frame in the first picture. Within the shield are the initials J L in gothic letters. I still believe them to be of WW2 vintage. But I never claimed that they were Kriegsmarine, I just wondered if they had been used by them. The greater probability is as already said... More than likely merchant marine.