binoculars rln 8x30

[prana1933]

Welcome!
Help determine the year of issue of the binoculars rln 8x30 ( № 2206134).
And approximate market value (is not for sale)?
Like any further information about this binoculars.
Link to photos:
http://files.mail.ru/316337F73C704602B9DBB86EBDA0FC24

[MAUSER99]

yes, they are real. I have only seen one other set of these ever.. They showed up on ebay about 4 years ago. I think they sold in the 7-800 dollar range. 8x30 dienstglas are very scarce. They may have just been using them up from the foreign contracts of 42/43 ?? The german's never seemed to use this power bino. very often.. Zeiss made 8x30 commercial pre-war and I can only assume the body and parts are somewhat the same ? I hope this answers you're questions.

[Rusmann]

Hi gents!
The main question - In what year was this made binoculars??
In the Seeger's book - they produced a total of six batches of 12,500 units in 1943. Serial number matches this year. Covering the body is not too late. But, it is believed that the code of RLN was assigned in November 1944!
This information can also be found in the Hans Seeger's book Fernglaser und Fernrohre. Here's a link to the codes of optics:
http://www.actionoptics.co.uk/German%20WWII%20Codes.htm

[prana1933]

Thanks for the reply!
Question: the numbering of the binoculars (№ 2206134) corresponds production in 1942. But marking RLN appeared on Zeiss binoculars after November 1944.
How to explain this discrepancy?

[Bill Parker]

rln

rln is the late war code for Zeiss. Produced late '44 or early '45. Uncommon but not rare. These appear to be in nice condition.

[Willi Z.]

Here is a pair I own. This is the only pair I have encountered at shows, so am glad to see there are others.

[Michael Downey]

It is not uncommon to find rln 8 x 30s binos with brown Zeiss marked leather or preßstoff cases. I have never attempted to see whether rln 8x30s fit into a standard issue 6x30 bakelite case. On the right is a set of rln 8x30 binos posted by Sigi on the forum some time back.

[Michael Downey]

Here is another case with a view inside the lid.

[Michael Downey]

The rln 8x30 binos are usually in very good condition which makes me wonder whether they were ever issued.

[Michael Downey]

Here is a front and rear view.

[Michael Downey]

I have also observed rln 8x30s being issued in black preßstoff cases.

[Michael Downey]

front and rear views

[Willi Z.]

Thanks Michael, that is very information and helpful. Not sure why we don't encounter them (binos and cases) over here, when there are so many binos at shows.

[MAUSER99]

I have two sets of 8x30's that are part of a Bulgarian or Romanian contract. They are both in the brown case. Both are commercial marked and made in Germany added under the zeiss logo. Then the eagle/waa202 underneath.

I have a set of black rln coded 6x30's in the black commercial prestoff case and just saw an identical set sell on ebay a few weeks back.

Most of these are found in "as new" condition.

I think as I said before zeiss was using up leftovers of the export contract and made the 8x30 dienstglas for the military.

I think the body size is similar enough that the 8x30's will fit in the 6x30 case.

[Rusmann]

rln is the late war code for Zeiss. Produced late '44 or early '45. Uncommon but not rare. These appear to be in nice condition.

But, if you look at the serial number - it is made in 1943.
This information was confirmed by Seeger in his book.