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Message: <blockquote data-quote="LPT" data-source="post: 3833166" data-attributes="member: 78449">"First of all, everything I've read since posting says that they're exceptionally rare. Secondly, the pictures I've found don't look exactly Luke mine. Not sure mine are quite as squat. The eyepiece build looks different on mine too." - Zeiss made two versions of the Delactem: the first one in 1930 when the model was introduced and a second in 1937 which was squatter looking having a shorter body and shorter eyepieces. Regarding year of introduction - Usually collectors lacking other sources have to resort to historical catalogs, brochures and newspaper advertisements to date the introduction of old model binoculars although these methods may not always be accurate. Concerning Zeiss binoculars Dr. Hans Seeger has written two meticulously researched and voluminous books (unfortunately for English speakers mostly in German) about Zeiss binoculars 1894-1919 (2010) and 1919-1946 (2015) of which I have attached a picture of my copies (the papers you see sticking out of the books are my German to English translations). Dr. Seeger researched Zeiss workshop records in addition to other primary source documentation to determine when many of the different Zeiss model binoculars were introduced (and there were a bewildering number of different models) and the characteristics of these models. The Zeiss workshop records he used and which are reproduced in the books also provide definitive information about serial numbers and years of manufacture. Previously, the best Zeiss serial number information was the europa.com listing which although still useful and generally accurate cannot be used to accurately date Zeiss binoculars made between 1894-1907 and does not include a second “short number” serial number series used by Zeiss during WW 2.</blockquote>

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