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Ww2 binoculars (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter petebaur
- Start date
There are German WW2 10x80 ( 10x magnification, 80mm front lens). They were mounted to anti aircraft guns. There were made in there 100,000s by several different manufacturers, yours are made by Feuss. Depending on the condition they can be quite valuable to collectors.
Hi @petebaur welcome to the forum 
A quick search has taken me to the "Virtual Museum of Binoculars". Yours look pretty similar to these (picture from the link below):
You can find some relevant information about the binoculars, the brand and they way they worked (you can always use Google translate).
A quick search has taken me to the "Virtual Museum of Binoculars". Yours look pretty similar to these (picture from the link below):
You can find some relevant information about the binoculars, the brand and they way they worked (you can always use Google translate).
WRL
Well-known member
Actually the company was named "Fuess" (not Feuss, which would be a different pronunciation in the German language, ue=ü). The complete name was "R. Fuess, Optische Industrie, Berlin-Steglitz", manufacturer code "cro" (in later times of ww2 only codes were used instead of actual manufacturer names). The code "blc" stood for "Carl Zeiss, Jena, Militärabteilung".
Hi thanks for your responses and directions
I have been going around the Internet, it is all quite fascinating/confusing.
So the R Fuess binoculars are 1939/40 as no military markings or swastika?
Nr 1440 suggests it is relatively early if 100,000s made across manufacturers?
Is there records or anyway we can find the history of a particular model?
2. The blc 10x80 80 kriegsmarine binoculars are made by Carl Zeiss, Jena were during the war to late.?
I have been going around the Internet, it is all quite fascinating/confusing.
So the R Fuess binoculars are 1939/40 as no military markings or swastika?
Nr 1440 suggests it is relatively early if 100,000s made across manufacturers?
Is there records or anyway we can find the history of a particular model?
2. The blc 10x80 80 kriegsmarine binoculars are made by Carl Zeiss, Jena were during the war to late.?
A book has been written all about them...
www.10x80.info
The Eye of the Flak | 10x80 | Flakglas | German binoculars | Belgium
"The Eye of the Flak" - A comprehensive study of the 10x80 Flakglas / Falkfernrohr - Volume I. www.10x80.info; the OFFICIAL website!
www.10x80.info
WRL
Well-known member
As far as I know, not all (e.g. optical) instruments used by the German military during ww2 had been marked with swastika and/or eagle. However, it appears that in the "Kriegsmarine" (navy) a swastika carrying eagle and the letter "M" (for "Marine") was quite commenly used (e.g. binos, sextants). "Luftwaffe" (air force) instruments normally were not marked with national insignia, just with equipment name, number, contract number, manufacturer's name, serial number etc. (later, from on about 1940/41, in war with manufacturer's a code instead of name).
So the Fuess bino may be produced before or in the early war years. And the Zeiss one, because of code-marked "blc" should be dated after 1941.
An excellant reference book regarding military binos (in German and with many parts and all captions in English) is: Dr. Hans T. Seeger: (English subtitle) "Military Binoculars and Telescopes for Land, Air and Sea Service" ISBN 3-00-000457-2
