Binoculars, broad arrow marked

[Jerry B]

Not sure on the date on these, though circa WWI I think. Sadly they have been overpainted which obscures some of the markings whilst another mark has been scratched out.

They appear to be marked The R? and a broad arrow on one end plate whilst the other appears to be marked IIS or SII though this has been scratched out and they also have 25 scratched on them.

[MikB]

'S.2' would mean they were 'Special, Grade 2', ie. second-grade prismatics, in the early WW1 emergency under which civilian-market binos were accepted for military use - but I haven't seen it before expressed as 'SII'. The centre focus marks them as of civilian origin, they're probably French, and of about the right period, but I can't identify them in any more detail than that.

Regards,

MikB

[Jerry B]

Thanks MikB for the information. I had searched old threads on here and had found the S2 or S3 markings but as you mention none with this format. Also the strap hangers were unlike any British examples I could find so French is as you post more than likely then.

Here are some detail pics of the markings.

[MikB]

I once had a pair of small Galileans of middlin' quality, and allegedly of 1902 vintage, marked 'The Royal Guards' (as if ). I don't know whether your second letter is a G, but if it is, I wonder if your glass was being marketed in the same manner? Then, as now, association with the military was linked to high quality and capability, and there weren't many rules about what you could say!

Regards,

MikB

[Jerry B]

As long as they are period issue, I don't mind what marketing techniques their makers had used to try and sell them.

I also picked up a very good condition case yesterday, maker marked and WD arrow stamped and a pair of the ARMY & NAVY PARIS marked Galileans that fit into the case.