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Vintage Binoculars (1 Viewer)

I first thought the name was an obvious reference to the Alps. Then Ron's comment convinced me otherwise - after all the binocular does have two "focal pins". Now Rene points out that Kern had other models called Alpin...
Could the name have been intended to have two meanings?

Hello LPT,

Are you suggesting that the Swiss like to pun?

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood
 
I'm not aware of any comedians originating from Switzerland. Of course we can't rule out their existence but then they haven't crossed the Swiss border yet.

With respect to engineers possibly having been allowed to name models, I wouldn't expect them to see pins in the Focalpin's focusing mechanism. Engineers are usually more concerned with function than looks and so I think they would call them levers.

Lastly, in Kern's binoculars line-up a tendency for wordplay around the alp motive is very obvious. Next to the 8x30 Alpin Stereo there are

6x30 Alpin Lux
6x24 Alpin 160
12x50 Alpin Super
8x24 Alpar
8x18 Alpico


Renze
 
Hello all. I found this forum trying to find out some info on a pair of binos I bought at a flea market. They are made by Kershaw and are marked 10x36 extra wide angle, Bisley, the serial no' is 9087. The inside of the case is marked A.F Godfrey, Anglo-Egyptian Oilfi (the rest has worn away) Suez, Egypt. Is there a record somewhere of Kershaw dates of manufacture?
Thanks,
Schooner.
 
Hello all. I found this forum trying to find out some info on a pair of binos I bought at a flea market. They are made by Kershaw and are marked 10x36 extra wide angle, Bisley, the serial no' is 9087. The inside of the case is marked A.F Godfrey, Anglo-Egyptian Oilfi (the rest has worn away) Suez, Egypt. Is there a record somewhere of Kershaw dates of manufacture?
Thanks,
Schooner.
See this link of a page from a 1930's Kershaw catalog: http://www.flickr.com/photos/binocwpg/5807125470/in/set-72157623234405689/lightbox/
The 10X36 Bisley appears #8 in the listing of Wide Angle Models. This is a rarely seen Kershaw which was probably made only during the 1930's and maybe later 1920's. I am very sure it was no longer made after WWII. There is no database of these Kershaw serial numbers that I know about.
 
Thank you LPT. If these are of interest to you I will put up some photos when I get home from work.
Please do put up some photos - I and some other collectors (Simon!) would love to see them. I just looked at another Kershaw catalog which isn't posted online and it seems the Bisley wasn't available in 1926 but was in 1930. So it appears to have been introduced between those years and most likely discontinued along with other civilian binoculars shortly after the outbreak of war. I also should have mentioned that Kershaw made fine binoculars and I think you have a well-made and collectable 10X. A 7 degree FOV for a 10X is quite impressive at that time as well as today.
 
Hello all. I found this forum trying to find out some info on a pair of binos I bought at a flea market. They are made by Kershaw and are marked 10x36 extra wide angle, Bisley, the serial no' is 9087. The inside of the case is marked A.F Godfrey, Anglo-Egyptian Oilfi (the rest has worn away) Suez, Egypt. Is there a record somewhere of Kershaw dates of manufacture?
Thanks,
Schooner.


Anglo-Egyptian Oilfields Ltd. (AEO) (50% Shell - 50% BP) discovered oil in 1913 in Egypt south of Suez. See paragraph 6 in the link below for more of their history. They were in business at least until 1961-1964 when they were nationalized.

http://www.egyptoil-gas.com/read_article_issues.php?AID=463

So now you know where they were used too!

And welcome to Bird Forum!

:hi:

Bob
 
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Morning Gents,
I'm having issues posting photos, what email can I send them to via my phone?
Schooner sent me the pictures attached to an email. Here they are.
 

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Back then some really strange things were happening. Birders going about with shotguns and opera fans aiming their CF bins on birds of the human race. You should have been there man.

Renze

Does the one you are wearing in your picture have CF? By the way, I like your cap!:t:

Bob
 
Hello all. I found this forum trying to find out some info on a pair of binos I bought at a flea market. They are made by Kershaw and are marked 10x36 extra wide angle, Bisley, the serial no' is 9087. The inside of the case is marked A.F Godfrey, Anglo-Egyptian Oilfi (the rest has worn away) Suez, Egypt. Is there a record somewhere of Kershaw dates of manufacture?
Thanks,
Schooner.

You probably could even find out who this Mr. Godfrey was via the internet. I've done that a couple times with personalized things I've picked up. It's interesting to see who the person was.

Chad
 
By the way, I like your cap!:t:

Bob


Thank you Bob, I really love that cap myself. But being avant garde by nature I feel one has to change caps once in a while. Please have a look at my winter and spring collection.

R
 

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Thank you Bob, I really love that cap myself. But being avant garde by nature I feel one has to change caps once in a while. Please have a look at my winter and spring collection.

R

By Jove Old Man! They certainly are distinctive and individual! There is nothing like them in the Borsalino Catalogue I have on my desk. And one does get weary of seeing all those birding enthusiasts trying to look like Harrison Ford doesn't one?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Raiders.jpg

Bob

PS: I was really wondering when center focus became really popular in Porro Prism binoculars. I can remember a Biology Professor when I went to college about 50 years ago complaining about how useless IF binoculars were for use in Zoology. Apparently they were still commonly used then.
 
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