Real or fake flak binoculars? Expensive stuff.

[PH1]

Are these "Flak binoculars" real? The seller wants a lot for them, but to me they look like cheap indian binos made today:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/391909688960

https://www.ebay.com/itm/132368642738

Here are a few more, examples of "german" and "japanese" binoculars that look like they have been made by the same manufacturer. They look very cheap and crudely made:

http://www.onlinegalleries.com/art-a...fic/binoculars

What's your opinions?

[Sgt Bilko]

They're real but polished for people who like shiny things and generally sell for more than those with paint peeling or chipped. Some dealers trade in optics as they find them, some sympathetically restore and some polish to boogery for profit.

[me6_130]

There are some threads around about this optic terrorist

Carles

[behblc]

Please excuse my being vulgar here gents but we are talking (again) about the vulgar and the stupid, the vulgar being the dealers and " Antique Dealers" who polish binoculars, selling them for inflated and obscene prices to the stupid, those who believe they are getting something of value which is reflected in the description and the price commanded.
These binoculars as can be seen have been transformed into "utter ****e" as Niall says , nice "shiny things" to hang designer jumpers over.

The dealers can and are quite within their rights to charge whatever price they like, but their descriptions are no more than a sales pitch.
You have to wonder what is the profit margin on each 10x80 , probably £3,500 plus - it is mercenary. This said, somewhere people must be buying them there is a market....of people who have no idea what they are buying or who probably don't really care as for them it is a "conversation piece" on which to drape a nice bright yellow pringle or similar brand of jumper.

[PH1]

It's the opposite of what I presumed, then. Instead of indian crap brass made to look like WWII items, real WWII items have been made to look like crap indian brass.

There are idiots who polish old valuable coins and make them practically worthless. This is even worse. The binoculars have had their history ground and polished off of them.

[Mikedenmark]

I agree they look awfull.

But, If someone is willing to top the price of all other sellers, in order to get a bino from me, am I, and how am I, supposed to figure out, they want to polish it like these?

And, even if I figure it out, should I not sell?
If I don´t sell, then some unknown buyer will be the next top bidder. Living next door to the one, I do not want to sell to.
Friendly neighbour fronting the purchase.

I don´t think it can be helped.

Besides, once the second last of all the originals has been polished, mine, the last original will be unique, and hence, priceless.
( I think 1950 vintage car market here. heh heh. )

(( Maybe I SHOULD store them all in a barn or an attic somewhere. To be "discovered" when I go on pensions. Complete with dust, spiderweb and an occasional mouse to eat the rubber parts.))

PS, Update.
I don´t know about spiders web, but here is the dust:
http://www.filmtools.com/fullersearth.html
Guess it can be done in considerably less than 20 years.

[behblc]

I asked the dealer for his best price and if the binocular would hold its value, I got this by way of reply.

" i can sell this binoculars for £4000 with free postage, Im not able to advice you on the re-sell value as it varies, I know this model has been known to make £10,000 in Christies south Kensington auction on many occasions."

In short I can knock £750 off the price and still make a very good profit, it could sell for £10,000 but I can sell it to you with a £6,000 difference, yet I can't say it will hold its value.