SS Totenkopf Entfernungsmesser

[espenlaub]

Got this nice item. Unit marked II/2 SS Standarte Brandenburg

The rest of the pictures HERE:

[benutzer]

Which facory have made the range finder, please show pics.

[espenlaub]

There no any producer tags on it. Just this and some manual tags

[benutzer]

no factory informations ?? thats bad !!!
The plate with gavur looks good but if there is no plate with factory informations is bad.

[espenlaub]

There no place for other tags, as usual seen. Also I've never seen SS TK binoculars with factory markings, as the usual marked SS items never duplicate the firm or producer tags, in case of VA RZM or SS RZM

[benutzer]

I didnt say that the rangefinder isn't original, I never saw a german item without any factory informations. I think on the rangefinder is enough space for othe tags !!!!!!!!!!!!

You are wrong with your statement about the binoculars, all SS TK binoculars are marked on the left side with the factory, serialnumber and on the right side with SS-Dienstglas, skull, 6x30. Thats a incontestable fact.

[espenlaub]

Ok, I was wrong about binoculars, as I try to remember and only head and SS dienstglas was in my memory.
But the rangefinder have not any places where was other mounted lables.
As I tell, this is first time I ever seen this item, and at my point I absoletely have no doubts about it. No any info available about them?

[Palmenmuster]

Im sorry to say but I dont like SS and scull markings on any optics. Just my honest opinion.
Best regards, Tom

[benutzer]

I didnt understand why you didnt like them ??? Share with us your opinion and than I can tell and show you that this markings a real.

[Palmenmuster]

I have personally only handeled 2 binoculars with SS markings, both were fakes, clearly removed the right hand side original cover and replaced it with a new stamped "SS Dienstglas and scull"

So why do I think ss marked binos are fake? First, in the early days, SS got most of their equipment from the Wehrmacht, they were assigned to Wehrmacht formations. Second, the companys making binoculars had standard letters to mark their binoculars, all SS marked binos have a different size on the print than normal. Would the companies like Zeiss make special letters in different heights just to mark a few SS-binos? I personally dont think so. If we compare to Hensold binos with Police marking, the letters are like normal. If they are real, we should have confirmation from the factories that a certain LOT of serialnumbers were made on contract to the SS, wich I have never seen or heard about.

If we compare with Sniperrifles assigned to SS, this is a different story, they were carefully picked and marked, both rifle and scope to get a good accuracy match. Making fake covers on binos is easy and give a high profit.

Hope you are proving me wrong because I collect WSS and optics and I would love to have a set of SS marked binos, if genuine.

Best regards, Tom

[benutzer]

Hi Tom
I understand you, two SS-binos and both are fakes.

At the beginn of the aera of A.H much more where possible with regard to batch produktion.
SS in the time before 1939 have much item's with skull, you could find the skull on leather parts to.
The size of the letters are not different than the letter size to other binos and if yes, what happens. They chance this withhin 1 hour.

you could find two different 6x30 SS-Dienstglases and not one more.
the first is the classical.
it's made by RUKA Rathenow, in four different blocks of numbers !!!
if you know the blocks and if you know how a RUKA looks like you have won because you couldnt make from an Zeiss a RUKA because the RUKA binos complete different to the rest of the binos.

the second is made by HENSOLD Wetzlar
and is also not easy to copie.
The came from a block of arround ~ 500 binos an unknown number of binos where made for an optical store in Roma. As the German where in Italie, they confiscate some of this binos and marked them with SS-Dienstglas.
I know four of them and one is in bad bad condition and came directly from an dig !!! I also where in contact with optical store in Italie which is still there.

hope it was a little help (the bino of the pics by my post before is 100% original)

[Palmenmuster]

SS markings on leather are common, usually RZM marked and made to Allgemeine SS prewar. You will find SS and RZM marking on a lot of items, usually they are marked 1936 - 1938. Allgemeine SS were not an combattant force like Waffen SS and didnt need binoculars, Sniperrifles and Rangefinders. When Waffen SS were formed, they were issued Army Binos, rangefinders and other fieldgear.

I find it hard to believe that late in the war, finally "Helping" Moussolini in Italy, they will use a lot of energy to mark a field item like a Binocular with SS and scull????? Sorry Benutzer, Im not buing it unless we can get proof from original pictures or German orders to factories wich should be possible to find in official German arcives.

I have a friend, Norwegian volunteer in WSS, former Rottenfuhrer in 8. Pi. reg. Germania, serving on the Ostfront 1942-1944 - still alive 90 years old, he confirms that they got standard Wehrmacht fieldgear. I have also checked with Norwegians serving in the Leibstandarte and Der Fuhrer, they have never seen SS markings on Optics.

When the Germans surrendered in 1945, there were 360.000 German soldiers in Norway, also some SS formations, all of them surrendered peacefully. The Norwegian Army used German weapons, fieldgear, camouflage and vehicles for a long time. I have good connections in te Norwegian Army and in the late 1980s the Army finally decided to replace old German Optics and I have personally used several hours checking binos to sort out interresting items before they were sold on the civilian marked. I saw a lot of different markings on binos but NO SS marked ones.

Please dont misunderstand, Im not saying its not original, Im only saying that I personally dont belive the items to be real. It would be interresting if you have any confirmation on the items, if you can convince me, Im happy.

Best regards, Tom

[espenlaub]

I will tell that only Totenkopf optics, seen by me was marked with SS and scull

[Dr. Strangelove]

Oh yes they are..

Sorry, Palmenmuster. Benutzers Binos look real to me and Rathenow is a very accepted version of these SS marked Binos.

[Michael Kuligowski]

SS markings on leather are common, usually RZM marked and made to Allgemeine SS prewar. You will find SS and RZM marking on a lot of items, usually they are marked 1936 - 1938. Allgemeine SS were not an combattant force like Waffen SS and didnt need binoculars, Sniperrifles and Rangefinders. When Waffen SS were formed, they were issued Army Binos, rangefinders and other fieldgear.

unfortunately Tom - this is not right - early SS was issued its own gear - check thread about early totenkopf markings from few weeks ago