Cleaning leitz binoculars serial number#
This year seems too early to me (I think it should be late 1938 or 1939) and as far as I know Leica Germany does not have archives with pre-WW II serial number information so I think whoever wrote the letter was estimating. Note, for example, Binuxit 192983 which Leica Germany wrote was made in 1937. All information is according to what I consider to be knowledgeable sources, but nonetheless, there are inconsistencies. Here is my Leitz handheld binocular serial number guide. The fake markings, though, are well done and convincing. 5 7 x 50, a nice binocular but very common and worth but a fraction of a genuine Aviosept.
Cleaning leitz binoculars license#
Although examples of fake Zeiss models are fairly commonplace particularly of WW II Kriegsmarine ones and 1980's Jenoptems (many actually built under license in Japan(?) but still of lower quality than the German made ones), this is the first fake Aviosept I've seen.įirst, here is what a real Aviosept should look like: : Note that early WW II Leitz Porro II 7 x 50's were basically a militarized version of the civilian model Aviosept and look almost exactly the same, but later in the war desiccant cartridges and rubber armour were added and prism plate design was changed slightly.Īnd second this is the fake: This binocular is actually a British WW II Binoprism No. Last night I did a search for Letiz Aviosepts and discovered something interesting - a fake Aviosept. However the military DF 7 x 50 (the Binoctar was a civilian version of the DF 7 x 50) did have these knobs and was being made in 1915, and other collectors have told me that at the end of WW I Zeiss demilitarized military binoculars which were at their factory and applied civilian model markings on them for civil sale. I have a Binoctar marked Zeiss 7 x 50 with a 1915 serial number and an IPD tension knob at the hinge end, but the problem is Zeiss did not introduce the Binoctar model until 1918 and Binoctars did not have IPD tension knobs. Zeiss did this sort of thing at the end of WW I. The binocular could have been an unissued example at the Leitz factory or more likely one which was there for servicing when occupation took place.
The demilitarization would have involved removing all military markings from the prism plates and replacing them with civilian model ones while retaining the original serial number. I'd like to see it.Ī fourth possibility very similar to 3) is that it is a military model Leitz made circa 1943 which was demilitarized 1945-1946 for post-war sale. Often surplus military and stockpiled civilian model parts were used to assemble these products.Ĭould you post some pictures of your Aviosept especially of the markings. Note that as incredible as it seems some German optical manufacturers such as Leitz as well as Zeiss, Hensoldt, and Voigtlander began manufacturing and selling optical instruments such as binoculars and cameras almost immediately after occupation in some cases even as the war was still going on. I think this is doubtful but if so the binocular should have some military markings.ģ) The binocular was made post war (late 1945-1946) from stockpiled parts for sale to Americans. I can think of three explanations.ġ) Leitz actually did make some during the war for the civil market or for export to get foreign currency.Ģ) The binocular was made circa 1919-1931 but during the war was reconditioned by Leitz for military use and assigned a new serial number. It is also peculiar that a binocular model which was reportedly discontinued in 1931 (and the listing is a well-researched and generally accurate guide) was made circa 1943. The Aviosept was a civilian model binocular and war-time made civilian model German binoculars are not common particularly mid to late war ones. I maintain a small Leitz binocular serial number database (the Leitz microscope serials cannot be applied to binoculars) and 431011 is a mid-war Leitz number, probably 1943, post-war numbers not beginning until about 480000. You've got a valuable, rare and nice binocular.