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US Navy Binoculars


Carter
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I was given these by a friend and know nothing about them other than what info. is on them and the case. When were they issued, what mod. # are they and what do you think they are worth? I have not seen any like them on several sites I have visited and would like to know more. My Dad has an army set like them years ago but were lost on a flood after he gave them to my Grandfather so I was pleased to be able to have such a nice set given as a gift. They remind me of the happy days with both of them, camping, trout fishing and checking out the local wildlife using the army ones.

 

Thank you for looking. Carter

 

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Webshots album pix: http://news.webshots.com/myphotos?action=r...security=mGdOFi

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  • 2 months later...

Yes, they are 6x30 Type EE Field Glasses....

 

There were multiple optics companies in Rochester in the early 1900's, including Bausch & Lomb, Crown Optical, Manhattan-Gundlach, and of course Eastman Kodak.

 

When WWI rolled around there was a severe shortage of binoculars in the armed forces, and we were importing most of our optical glass from Germany. There was a huge run up to get optical glass made in this country, and up the production of optics. The Type EE Field glass was based on a commercial model produced by B&L. B&L was contracted along with Crown Optical, and a company called Talbot Reel and Mfg in KC, MO to produce these for the military. Crown Optical could not boost production high enough so in 1917 the Government took them over, and they became the US Naval Gun Factory Optical Shop Annex. The Type EE's produced at the USNGF plant can be found in both the Navy and Army flavors. Army issued binos were marked "Signal Corps, US Army", and the Navy's..."US Navy, Bureau of Navigation"

 

Talbot Reel technically made Type E's, which were the same basic design, but the components were slightly larger in size (for example, you cannot interchange eyepieces between Type E's and EE's, the E's won't fit in an EE body, and the EE's are loose in an E body)

 

A very nice pair, and great case!

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  • 10 years later...

Restarting this thread, I got these 10X45mm B&L today.  Very good condition, they give a good image.  

 

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