United Kingdom. An Early Twentieth Century Field Binoculars by Carl Zeiss of Jena, Named to Dr. Arnold Caddy FRCS of Calcutta

Item #GB7359

Price:

$135

These functioning binoculars feature a non-magnetic brass housing on the body painted in black, the grips covered in a black pebbled leather and remaining intact. The body tubes housing the lenses are joined together at four locations, forming a bridge, with a central cylinder between the tubes, the cylinder itself finished with a screw at the eyepiece end. Both eyepieces are functional and are gradated in plus and minus on either side of "0". The ocular and objective lenses are glass and are free of crazing and chipping with some dirt evident. The binoculars are unmarked on the front housing and number stamped "38114" on the edge of the bridge butting the right body tube. They are marked on the back housing on both sides, the left side marked "CARL ZEISS / JENA", the right side marked "FELDSTECHER / 8 FACH". The binoculars measure 145 mm in width x 145 mm in depth x 42 mm in height when fully extended, weighing 509 grams inclusive of the leather neck strap, the eyecup framing the left ocular lens is chipped, but the lens itself remains unaffected. It exhibits scattered wear in the black painted finish, with very light contact overall and is free of rust, the leather strap with a smooth-finished upper and raw underside and remaining relatively supple given its age. The exterior of the accompanying leather carrying case displays a smooth-finished upper. There is a strap with three holes for length adjustment stitched in place on the front edge of the lid, and when fed through the buckle placed upon the front body of the case, secures the binoculars. There is a large patch stitched in place on the reverse for placement upon a belt. The full-length neck strap also has a smooth-finished upper and is fed under a short horizontal strap and secured in place to a brass post on either side. The leather strap that acts as a handle on the top of the lid has experienced separation at one end. The bottom of the case is named in black ink to "Dr Arnold Caddy. / 32 Harrington Street. / Calcutta.". The interior is lined in violet velvet, exhibiting the impressions from the enclosed binoculars: the base with impressions from the two eyecups, the lid with impressions from the two objective lense frames and the central pivot disk. The case measures 145 mm in width x 58 mm in depth x 117 mm in height, exhibiting scuffing and wear on the exterior from active use. As is.

 

Footnote: Dr. Arnold Caddy was a member of the Fellowship of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (FRCS). He was a resident of Calcutta, British Indian Empire and was considered to be one of its leading doctors, and was a Joint Secretary of the Central Committee of the Indian Medical Congress. He is noted as having examined the Second Kumar in March 1905, when the Kumar's life insurance policy was formulated with the City of Glasgow Life Assurance Company.