unknown optics...need help IDing!

[whatthecrunchyo]

If anyone could please let me know what these are to, it'd be much appreciated!

[whatthecrunchyo]

more pictures

[whatthecrunchyo]

last photo

[nonfood]

last photo

Richtkreis Rk 31

[globbitz]

Hello whatthecrunchyo,

non-food is correct, an Richkreis 31 (RK31) artillery aiming-circle / theodolite; however you only have the top-half, you're missing the bottom.

Now, the interesting thing about the RK31 (unlike it's later RK40 replacement) is that the bottom-half is dismountable from the top-half in order that the top portion can be placed onto a map or artillery plotting board / plane table, so it would also seem that the two portions of the flip-out aluminium ruler are also missing from the underside of your top-half.

If you acquired the RK31 along with a tripod, then I guess that there's a remote chance that the bottom half is still fixed to the tripod?

I'll try to upload some photos of the RK31 (and dismounted base) for you, hopefully at the weekend.

Best regards,
Paul

P.S. I've looked online, and it transpires that you are indeed missing a lower-section to your top-half (a middle-layer) that would normally be (permanently) mounted to the underside of your top-half. This middle-layer encloses the two-halves of the flip-out aluminium ruler, plus holds the two release levers/catches that allow the lower-half to be removed; so my point above regarding the possibility of the lower-half being fixed to tripod are extremely remote indeed, and it would seem that your instrument has been disassembled at some point.