Quintet 7 x 50 (1 Viewer)

C

Clipper

New member

• Jul 17, 2015

• #1

Hi I just joined the forum to share these Japanese 7 x 50 binoculars branded "QUINTET".

They were bought new by my late father in about 1970 and have spent most of their life in the back of a cupboard, where I recently found them. Consequently, they are just about mint.

Optics are excellent. Maybe I'm not the most discerning judge but the only better ones I've used were a friend's very expensive Zeiss.

Worst features are not the binoculars themselves - cheap leatherette case, leatherette strap, and the orange plastic dust caps which don't grip.

Has anyone ever heard of Quintet? I can find no trace on the internet.

Close-ups

Anyone know how to enable IMG tags?

 

C

ceasar

Well-known member

• Jul 18, 2015

• #2

:hi:

Hi Clipper,

Welcome to Bird Forum!

What is the printing on the cap on the front of the hinge?

Bob

 

Last edited: Jul 18, 2015

perterra

Well-known member

• Jul 18, 2015

• #3

They are in excellent shape. There should be a makers code stamped in to the frame some where. Will give you an idea of who actually made them.

I think a JB code is the manufacturer of the binocular, JE is the code used by the company that made the chassis

http://home.europa.com/~telscope/jbcode.txt

 

Last edited: Jul 18, 2015

C

ceasar

Well-known member

• Jul 18, 2015

• #4

The code might be on the cap on the front of the hinge.

 

C

Clipper

New member

• Jul 18, 2015

• #5

Hi all, thank you for your interest.

The end cap is embossed "JAPAN".

The two arms either side of the end cap are stamped :

• "J-B257"
• "J-B69"

The quality control sticker reads, "PASSED, JAPAN TELESCOPES INSPECTION INSTITUTE"

The case also has a quality control sticker which reads, "PASSED, E.G.M.C.J."

 

C

Clipper

New member

• Jul 18, 2015

• #6

Digging around on the web, I discovered that "JB 257" is Kyoshi Optical Co. Ltd., Tokyo and that their brand names included "Omiya" and "Frank Nipole".

It seems that I can now add "Quintet" to that list.

 

B

Binastro

Well-known member

• Jul 18, 2015

• #7

Frank Nipole is Charles Frank, Glasgow.

I have their 7x23, which I used for many years.

 

C

Clipper

New member

• Jul 22, 2015

• #8

Binastro said:

Frank Nipole is Charles Frank, Glasgow.

Click to expand...

Binastro,

The "Nip" of "Frank Nipole" seems to be a strong clue that products so branded were Japanese.

From what I've read elsewhere in this forum, Charles Frank was a reseller, not a manufacturer, and one of his suppliers was Kyoshi Optical, whose products were branded "Frank Nipole" for him.

 

B

Binastro

Well-known member

• Jul 22, 2015

• #9

Clipper, correct.

They made astro telescopes and sold enormous quantities of ex WD optics etc.
I was recently in touch with the telescope designer, from the 1960s. I had the first classic 8.5 inch f/6.

H.W English, Essex and Proops and others in Tottenham Court Road, Brunnings and also Baker in Holborn and S. London, Youngs, Marston and Heard?? etc. were other large ex WD supppliers.

At one time you could buy a Spitfire for £10. I think sans machine guns.

 

Last edited: Jul 23, 2015