Article about: I bought these at an auction last week I do not collect field glasses but I have alwyas wanted a pair to display and these had great glass no scratches or chips. I would like to know if thes
I bought these at an auction last week I do not collect field glasses but I have alwyas wanted a pair to display and these had great glass no scratches or chips. I would like to know if these are something that would be used by heer troops? Did they private purchase their binoculars or were they issued? Did they get acceptance stamps? Or were these used by home guard and anti aircraft crews? Any info on german binoculars and how they were issued and used would be great! thanks!
soalebm, the other members are quite right in their assumption that your binoculars are WW1, they are a pair of ''Fernglass 08'' (Field Binoculars), introduced in 1909, designed and produced by the Goerz Co...''Optische Anstalt C.P.Goerz'' of Berlin. They were initially issued to all 'Gruppenfuhrers' (Group leaders) a gruppe consisted of eight men and was commanded by a Gefreiter. Yours appear to be great condition for their age, sometimes these field glasses were 'regimentally' marked, usually on the front of the 'bridge' on which the focus wheel is attached....i have included a photo of my pair, which are marked '10.R.11.16' issued to 10th Infantry Regiment (Grenadier-Regt. 'König Friedrich Wilhelm II,' 1.Schlesisches, Nr.10, garrisoned at Schweidnitz, attached to VI Armee Korps), 11th Company, 16th pair of binoculars. Check to see if your are marked.
Thanks Oradour! I will look tonight to see if they are marked but I do not believe they are. I assume the No 54521 is the serial number? Can we find out what year they were manufactured from that or is that information unavailable?
I assume the No 54521 is the serial number? Can we find out what year they were manufactured from that or is that information unavailable?
soalebm, I suppose its possible...but you would have to determine if the firm still exists, if not, did they go out of business or were they taken over....then contact the makers and if their records have survived (In WW2 due to Allied bombing many official records were lost/destroyed), they may be able to tell you.....but its a long shot. This model of field glasses were supplied to the Imperial German army from 1909 to 1918.
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