I have tried to make a short survey on the internet for serial numbers on binoculars marked cxn.
Especially the navy models 7x50 and 8x60 for the uboats.
To set off, I also tried to collect some serial numbers for the cxn bakelite 6x30.
This is what I came up with.
6x30 bakelite: 24 found
380993 Lowest observed serial number
384156 bright red bakelite
422489 bright red bakelite
426219
428628
711045 bright red bakelite
7????? Unknown, I disregarded this one as wrong, untill I decidedly saw the one in the 7xxxxx range. I could not find it again. It was on a french site.
8x60 Uboot (kommandantenglas) 9 found
426553
426559 Seeger grey book, page 384
426560
426586
426628
426655 Last 3 digits uncertain. Might be disregarded.
426658
426678
426713 Seen in Australia.
7x50 Uboat 2 found
457002
457241
10x50 Porro I
461596
I have some comments on this:
1: The 428628 might be a misread number. If anyone have seen another in the 428 range, that would indicate this number could be correct.
2: The 7xxxxx range of bakelite 6x30 just might be postwar. Maybe for the french army, for use in Indochina. Like their P38 pistol made by Mauser for the french and marked SVW46.
3: The 2 serial ranges for the 7x50 and the 8x60 suggest they should be equally rare. Even, in fact, that the 8x60 could be hardest to find.
Only it is far easier to find info on serials for the 8x60.
This indicates that the 7x50 is indeed rare. After all, it only takes one train wagon to be blown up for an entire batch run to disappear forever.
4: I have included a single 10x50 with a very high serial number as well.
5: The bright red bakelite is, IMO a very late war production item. Many years ago, I learned that Germany ran out of dye during the war. So I think the bright red bakelite binoculars and the rare bright red bakelite binocular cases are made late in the war when no black/brown dye could be obtained.
6: I have taken the numbers from photographs when possible. Photo´s where I could not read the number was disregarded. On the other hand did I accept some numbers from compilations on websites created by other collectors. Those numbers are therefore not completely reliable.
7: Regarding production numbers for the bakelite 6x30, I can say this much. There are substantial runs below the 400000 mark. So the suggestion made by Dr. Seeger of a total of 19000, based on the serial numbers he had available, when he wrote his grey book, cannot be verified. The actual number may be higher or lower. The compiled serials seems to cluster within fairly narrow ranges. My personal guess would be a total number lower than 19000.
If anyone can move these ranges, up or down, please do.
Or, if anyone know of other cxn marked optics within the bakelite range?
I have found the following cxn marked instruments:
6x30
6x30 bakelite
7x50 uboat
8x60 uboat
10x50 binoculars
10x50 rabbit ear artillery binoculars
10x80 Flak
Machine gun sights
Rangefinders
ZF41 Sighting scopes
20x120 binoculars. Most likely in an independent range.
There are more sight types, for cannons and tanks.
Especially the navy models 7x50 and 8x60 for the uboats.
To set off, I also tried to collect some serial numbers for the cxn bakelite 6x30.
This is what I came up with.
6x30 bakelite: 24 found
380993 Lowest observed serial number
384156 bright red bakelite
422489 bright red bakelite
426219
428628
711045 bright red bakelite
7????? Unknown, I disregarded this one as wrong, untill I decidedly saw the one in the 7xxxxx range. I could not find it again. It was on a french site.
8x60 Uboot (kommandantenglas) 9 found
426553
426559 Seeger grey book, page 384
426560
426586
426628
426655 Last 3 digits uncertain. Might be disregarded.
426658
426678
426713 Seen in Australia.
7x50 Uboat 2 found
457002
457241
10x50 Porro I
461596
I have some comments on this:
1: The 428628 might be a misread number. If anyone have seen another in the 428 range, that would indicate this number could be correct.
2: The 7xxxxx range of bakelite 6x30 just might be postwar. Maybe for the french army, for use in Indochina. Like their P38 pistol made by Mauser for the french and marked SVW46.
3: The 2 serial ranges for the 7x50 and the 8x60 suggest they should be equally rare. Even, in fact, that the 8x60 could be hardest to find.
Only it is far easier to find info on serials for the 8x60.
This indicates that the 7x50 is indeed rare. After all, it only takes one train wagon to be blown up for an entire batch run to disappear forever.
4: I have included a single 10x50 with a very high serial number as well.
5: The bright red bakelite is, IMO a very late war production item. Many years ago, I learned that Germany ran out of dye during the war. So I think the bright red bakelite binoculars and the rare bright red bakelite binocular cases are made late in the war when no black/brown dye could be obtained.
6: I have taken the numbers from photographs when possible. Photo´s where I could not read the number was disregarded. On the other hand did I accept some numbers from compilations on websites created by other collectors. Those numbers are therefore not completely reliable.
7: Regarding production numbers for the bakelite 6x30, I can say this much. There are substantial runs below the 400000 mark. So the suggestion made by Dr. Seeger of a total of 19000, based on the serial numbers he had available, when he wrote his grey book, cannot be verified. The actual number may be higher or lower. The compiled serials seems to cluster within fairly narrow ranges. My personal guess would be a total number lower than 19000.
If anyone can move these ranges, up or down, please do.
Or, if anyone know of other cxn marked optics within the bakelite range?
I have found the following cxn marked instruments:
6x30
6x30 bakelite
7x50 uboat
8x60 uboat
10x50 binoculars
10x50 rabbit ear artillery binoculars
10x80 Flak
Machine gun sights
Rangefinders
ZF41 Sighting scopes
20x120 binoculars. Most likely in an independent range.
There are more sight types, for cannons and tanks.
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