Barr & Stroud CN15 10 x 50 - POSSIBLE SOLE SURVIVOR

[MOLEHUNTER]

A UK seller sold several on ebayUK a few years ago with original mounts and boxes. Probably where this "sole survivor" came from!


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Barr-Stro...gAAOSwnw9Z9KN2

[Sgt Bilko]

I watched the original seller's listing finish a few days ago with interest as I've just parted with my one (to a well heeled gent on here).

I doubt it this is one of the WW2 500 high-magnification CN stereoscopic spotting telescopes, on special anti-vibration mountings, which were used to observe the fall of shot at extreme ranges as the reticle doesn't allow for accurate fall of shot measurement, the coatings didn't appear WW2 but similar to post WW2 B+S coatings (Bill Reid, the expert on B+S, states they were listed in the 1966 catalogue) and the mount didn't seem anti vibration.

I also doubt if 10x50 would be considered high magnification by the Royal Navy - the basic officer of the watch telescope was 12x and hand held.

So the mystery remains of the WW2 500 high-magnification CN stereoscopic spotting telescopes, on special anti-vibration mountings, which were used to observe the fall of shot at extreme ranges mentioned in the book and listing. Maybe they were large bulky affairs and not preserved as easily as smaller bits of kit?

PS My one came from the seller you mention of a few years back and, if I remember right, some had tally plate or stickers suggesting they came from 1960's / 70's vessels.

[MOLEHUNTER]

According to William Reid, Barr and Stroud coated only periscopes during WW2 and no wartime binocular was coated. The first might have been a 7x50 CF44 in 1947.

https://www.amazon.com/Were-Certainl.../dp/1901663663

Dealers gonna deal!

[behblc]

Sgt Bilko, I am glad I am not the well heeled member , I can only wear low heels. .(I hate heights).
I bought this one from the good Sgt Bilko in February when over to see my eldest girl, much to her amusement and dry witted comments.
This one is 10 X but is CF18 , in all respects it resembles the one for sale.
(No damage under the tape , just have not thought of removing it).

[Sgt Bilko]

It was nice meeting you in February - thanks fo the coffee!

It looks like B+S modified both the interocular adjustment and tally plate details between the current CN15 (nr 368) and your CN18 (nr 436) which may have resulted in the CN15 to CN18 name change.

Looking through my files, at least one other identical CN15 was sold when a few were offloaded a few years back but the Ebay pictures aren't good enough to read the serial.

The listing from last week clearly shows the same coating and it would seem they all date from the same post war period;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WW2-WWII-...-/372101958887

[Mikedenmark]

I re-read part of the book earlier today. and the word telescope caught my eye.
Isn´t a telescope something completely different from a binocular in UK nomenculature?
Telescopes may very well be of high magnification.
So, possibly, it may be a different type of instrument alltogether? I just noted the difference.

[Sgt Bilko]

I think you're right - it's a different instrument although the seller could be forgiven for the confusion - a stereoscopic spotting telescope is, in effect a binocular.

The rectangular reticle is the giveaway - it's more suited to missile observation ie keep the missile in the rectangle during flight for target acquisition or kine recording.

To observe the fall of shot at extreme ranges when talking of naval ordnance would require more than 10x and a far more complicated reticle.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BL_15_inch_Mk_I_naval_gun


The BL 15 inch Mark I succeeded the 13.5-inch (340 mm) gun. It was the first British 15 inch (381 mm) gun design and the most widely used and longest lasting of any British designs, and arguably the most efficient heavy gun ever developed by the Royal Navy. It was deployed on capital ships from 1915 until 1959, and was a key Royal Navy gun in both World Wars.

Maximum firing range 33,550 yards (30,680 m) - that's 19 miles in old money..

[MOLEHUNTER]

Shows the difference international shipping and another "sole survivor" story can make

£375.55 last week and now £1,285.00 this week.


Previously - fairly common Zeiss DF 8x40

an exceptionally rare binocular, the only known surviving example that I am aware of

possibly the “last of breed,”

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=922112

An easier business model than painting or polishing - it catches unwary buyers but leaves the binoculars intact.