Hesoldt Wetzlar 10x 50 dialyt

[Rat Patrol]

Greetings

This is my first post.

I have pair of 10 x 50 Hensoldt - Wetzlar binoculars.

I have tried with only some success to establish the history of these binoculars.





I wrote to Zeiss and was advised they were Gebergs Dialyt (Mountain glasses) and that the flat gray uncoated tubes were painted that colour to reduce glare reflection in the snowy climbs of the alps etc,

Serial # is 23750, and the case is marked 1945 under the lid.

Can anyone confirm:

- The reason for painting instead of coating the tubes
- Are they genuine war period
- and the appx value in GBP or EU ?



PS - I am also interested in Ross #5 7 x 50 field glasses with the full rubber light guard if anyone has a pair they are looking to sell?

[nickn]

pre war commercial from serial number
repainted after the leather came off?
binoculars £50
case £150????

[phild]

pre war commercial from serial number
repainted after the leather came off?
binoculars £50
case £150????

I don't think that they are pre-war. There have been a few different thread on these late type (zinc alloy bodies and later wartime case fittings....and all in the serial number range from about 10,000-40,000 and all individual focus (not generally center focus) .....and mostly painted finishes in black or ordnance tan...some late leatherrette...........

At any rate I'm wondering if this serial number range (say 1-40,000) was a production run from another plant or if it was a non-"military" run for non-Heer delivery so not using the Heer serial range.....OR if they were post WWII assembled from left over parts for occupation re-sale? Although 40,000 sets of parts seems very high and what would the market for these have been in say 1945-47....which would have been the time period IF they were really post war made up.


I can say that I have looked at maybe 30 sets over the last 20-30 years that fall within this range and match the criteria that I gave above...many were vet pieces as well but I can say that the vet captured them in April 1945 or bought them in August 45 new at the PX or from Hensoldt. I have seen both the 10x50 and the 7x56 types all marked Hensoldt and in this range...further more it seems that were runs within this 40,000 range for the different models....meaning the 10x50 types will fall within several blocks within the 40,000 and the same is true of the 7x56 types...I think that I have also seen late type 6x30 in this same range...but I don't keep up with the 6x30 types much.

I understand that there were two factories making Hensoldt binos at some point in the war...I wonder if these could be from that plant. There would have had to be some way to keep the serial numbers separate.

I have never seen any of these (40,000 range) with military codes or acceptance marks (on the case) but the closing clasp is generally coded and dated 42-44....the Cases also have the simple posts for the strap on not the swivel attachments.....