Swift Trilyte Mk3 10x40 (1 Viewer)

Hi, I'm working for a Upper Horfield Community Trust (http://www.uhct.co.uk) charity in Bristol, England. I'm running a project where we sell items on ebay for local people (who either don't know how or don't have the ability/time) in order for them to raise some extra cash.

Anyway, somebody has brought in some Swift Trilyte Mk3 10x40 binoculars. I know nothing about binoculars myself and I have been searching the internet for some information/price guides on this model but have so far been unsuccessful. I came across plenty of discussions on these forums of other Swift binoculars so I thought it would be a good place to ask. I'd like to find out as much as I can and also some ideas of prices for these. The binoculars are in excellent condition - they look almost new.

If anybody could help out that would be fantastic and much appreciated.

Thanks, Jon

Earlier this year I bought an 8x40 Trilyte for around $140 (it came from the UK) and a 7x35 for around $40.00. Both are excellent binoculars; both suffer from impossibly long close-focus: definitely NOT a birding binocular. I had REALLY wanted a pair of these and remain REALLY disappointed that I have no real use for them. Unless 10x40 is a particularly unusual configuration, you probably wouldn't be cheating yourself if you just let the market work. Others on this forum can tell you more, especially if you can provide a date (first numbers of the serial number) and further description (Swift models change, sometimes dramatically, even within a single name and model number).

According to Swift Instruments (USA) catalogs, Trilyte roof prism binoculars date back to 1968 (or before), and were originally Mark II in 7x35 and 9x35 configuratioins. By 1974 they were advertised as Mark III, but not in 10x40 configuration, just 8x40. This was still the case by 1980. By 2000 there were 8x42 and a 10x42 Trilytes, and the current catalog doesn't list them at all.

So, if these actually are 10x40 they were probably marketed in Europe by Swift-Pyser, UK somewhere between 1970 - ?. As rdmadison mentioned, the serial no. might clarify. In any event these were not phase corrected binoculars and have not developed a collector following to my knowledge. It's hard to predict what they would bring at auction, but probably not much.

Ed

they actually say Japan on the binoculars. with a serial number of: 37-84941.

also says '341ft at 1000 yards' and that they are multi-coated

dont know if this will help anyone pin these down at all. i've searched all over the internet and the only other mention of these i can find is actually another thread on these forums (with no replies).

The "84" in the serial number suggests a 1984 date of manufacture. My 8x40 are 37-84280, making them fairly contemporary. On a good day and in excellent condition, with case, you might expect to get 20GBP. The catch, of course, is to have TWO people who are interested in them. 341 feet at 1000yds is a 6.5 degree field of view, not bad for a 10x binocular. If you can focus them on an object as close as 20 feet, then you may have a very good pair of binoculars. If the close focus is closer to 40 feet (as mine are), birders won't be interested--but sports fans might be. Sailors won't be because they're not waterproof. Good luck!

Here they are. Just as I thought, distributed by Swift-Pyser. This is their 1984 catalog pictures.

I would think the armored model would fetch a bit more, but rdmadison's suggestions are valid.

Ed

If they are clean internally, in collimation and well looked after I would say around £45 to a collector like me. Oh I don't do roofs by the way