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An exceptional and visually striking example of the 10×80 Doppelfernrohr — the anti-aircraft Flak binocular that became the defining observation instrument of the German armed forces in the Second World War. The type was developed following rigorous competitive trials in the early 1930s, with three leading optical firms — Emil Busch, Moeller Wedel, and Ernst Leitz — submitting designs for military evaluation. Busch's prototype was selected for its superior field of view and reduced weight, and production was subsequently distributed among six manufacturers under wartime contract. Emil Busch, Rathenow, wartime code cxn, was the prime contractor and principal producer of the type.

Engineered with a distinctive 45° inclined binocular head, the instrument was purpose-built for prolonged observation of both terrestrial and aerial targets. Its advanced optical performance and robust construction made it indispensable for coordinating artillery fire, anti-aircraft defense, and strategic surveillance under demanding battlefield conditions. Originally designated the searchlight director, it became the standard observation glass of the Flak arm, deployed on every front from the Western Desert to the Eastern Front.

The present example bears the wartime code cxn, denoting manufacture by Emil Busch AG, Optische Industrie, Rathenow — the firm responsible for the original design and the largest share of total production. The body is sand-cast aluminum, hand-polished to a commanding mirror finish, the engraved markings D.F. 10×80 / △ cxn crisp and fully legible. At once a feat of precision engineering and an object of formidable scale, the 10×80 Flak binocular stands among the most iconic optical instruments of the Second World War — highly prized for its historical significance, technical achievement, and striking visual presence.

The binoculars are mounted on a period hardwood-and-brass field tripod with extending legs, brass ferrules, and chrome-capped feet, offering full 360° rotation and elevation adjustment via the original star-wheel locking mechanism. The optics are in excellent condition

A 15×80 big eye naval binocular telescope by Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd., produced in Japan in the 1970s for naval service. With 80-millimeter objectives and fifteen times magnification, the Fuji Meibo 15×80 was the standard large-aperture observation instrument of the Japanese naval service — compact relative to the 25×150, yet delivering a quality and quantity of light gathering far beyond any conventional binocular.

The sand-cast aluminum body has been hand-polished to a mirror finish, the surface brought to a uniform brilliance that preserves all original casting details and the Fuji Meibo nameplate throughout. It is presented on an oak-and-brass field tripod of c.1940s manufacture — the dark-stained oak legs with their steel-spiked feet and polished aluminum fittings providing a striking contrast to the mirror finish of the instrument above.

The optics are in excellent condition.

A 20×120 big eye naval binocular telescope by Nippon Kogaku — the manufacturer known today as Nikon — produced for the Imperial Japanese Navy in the 1940s. With 120-millimeter objectives and twenty times magnification, this is an instrument of exceptional resolving power, built to the exacting standards of a navy whose optical industry was among the finest in the world. The original Nikon nameplate is retained, stamped Nippon Kogaku, Made in Japan.

The sand-cast aluminum body has been hand-polished to a mirror finish, every surface worked to a uniform brilliance that preserves the original casting details throughout. It is presented on a Carl Zeiss field tripod of c.1940s manufacture — the two foremost optical names of the mid-twentieth century, German and Japanese, united on a single stand. The optics are in excellent condition.

The Fuji Meibo 25×150 is among the largest and most powerful binoculars ever produced for naval service. It is an instrument of an entirely different order from conventional binoculars: 150-millimeter objective lenses in each barrel, 25x magnification, and a resolving power at extreme range that made it the premier long-distance observation instrument of the Japanese naval service. Manufactured by Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd. in Japan in the 1970s, the 25×150 was designed exclusively for fixed deck mounting, its scale and weight demanding a permanent platform, and its optical performance rewarding one.

The sand-cast aluminum body has been hand-polished to a mirror finish, the surface worked to a brilliance that preserves all original casting details and markings. Polished brass sunshades to the objectives. The original gimbal mount, complete and operational, is retained. The instrument is presented on a Carl Zeiss field tripod of c.1940s manufacture, the pairing uniting two of the foremost names in twentieth-century optical engineering.

The optics are in excellent condition throughout.

Price on application