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Show us your Thrift and/or yard sale finds

Shangas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,116
Location
Melbourne, Australia
They are indeed French, it says so on the eyepieces, but apart from the name of the company (Rohrson) and the country of manufacture (France) there's nothing else on it.

If it helps, the eyepiece lenses are 20mm across, the objective lenses are 40mm across. The exit pupil (white circle visible through the eyepieces) is 10mm across.

Fully extended, they're about six inches long (about 6.5 if the glare-shields are run out).
 
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Retro Spectator

Practically Family
Messages
824
Location
Connecticut
The other day, I went to the thrift store and picked up these items. :D

Painting of Jesus by Warner Sallman. Copyright 1941.
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Guy Lombardo: Featuring the Twin Pianos. Copyright 1949.
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America's Greatest Music Makers
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A Toast to Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey
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Alpine Holiday
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A little Angel.
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esteban68

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,107
Location
Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England
They are indeed French, it says so on the eyepieces, but apart from the name of the company (Rohrson) and the country of manufacture (France) there's nothing else on it.

If it helps, the eyepiece lenses are 20mm across, the objective lenses are 40mm across. The exit pupil (white circle visible through the eyepieces) is 10mm across.

Fully extended, they're about six inches long (about 6.5 if the glare-shields are run out).
Hmm I'd be very surprised if they weren't marked somewhere. ...it could be at the objective end (big end) stamped on the frame or on the top edge of the frame...could even be a light stamping?
Pretty sure they'll be around 6x magnification either way!
 

Shangas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,116
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Nothing on them at all.

While we're on the subject, I also bought these yesterday with some of the money I've made from selling antiques:

12800369_1702718513319961_2966834487442780682_n.jpg


Made by LeMaire of Paris. Purchased by/for the Victorian Railways.
 

esteban68

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,107
Location
Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England
They're in very nice condition Shangas, French labelled their binoculars with all sorts of things like Victorian railways war pattern or jockey club but they don't actually mean very much, but they're always stylish and well made items.
 

DNO

One Too Many
Messages
1,815
Location
Toronto, Canada
Nothing on them at all.

While we're on the subject, I also bought these yesterday with some of the money I've made from selling antiques:

12800369_1702718513319961_2966834487442780682_n.jpg


Made by LeMaire of Paris. Purchased by/for the Victorian Railways.

Interesting that they have the British Government broad arrow mark. I know the British were short of binoculars in the First World War and issued a plea for people to donate theirs. Although this particular style was fairly obsolete by that time all sorts of ones just like it were donated and used. Perhaps this saw service at that time. I'm not familiar with how British railways would mark their goods but as far as I know the broad arrow was strictly British military.
 

esteban68

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,107
Location
Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England
The broad arrow is a red herring DNO , the French were very good at faking things, I've seen some bizarre Zeiss fakes coming out if France too! It's just the use of the arrow or crowsfoot to sell to the less informed....all handed in binoculars had to go away for testing and were put through fairly strenuous tests and then given ratings such as S1 for first class glass, through to S 4 depending on condition and optic type.
 

DNO

One Too Many
Messages
1,815
Location
Toronto, Canada
The broad arrow is a red herring DNO , the French were very good at faking things, I've seen some bizarre Zeiss fakes coming out if France too! It's just the use of the arrow or crowsfoot to sell to the less informed....all handed in binoculars had to go away for testing and were put through fairly strenuous tests and then given ratings such as S1 for first class glass, through to S 4 depending on condition and optic type.

You're right...I had forgotten about the rating system.
 

DNO

One Too Many
Messages
1,815
Location
Toronto, Canada
The broad arrow is a red herring DNO , the French were very good at faking things, I've seen some bizarre Zeiss fakes coming out if France too! It's just the use of the arrow or crowsfoot to sell to the less informed....all handed in binoculars had to go away for testing and were put through fairly strenuous tests and then given ratings such as S1 for first class glass, through to S 4 depending on condition and optic type.

I was just reading your blog entry for the Fernglas 08. I didn't know they were dated! I have a pair in the original case...now if I could just figure out where they were, I'd be all set. Haven't seen them for ages. Interesting blog, by the way. I've been tempted to try one as well but, as I tell my wife, people probably wouldn't believe the tales of the finds!
 

esteban68

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,107
Location
Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England
I've not updated mine for a while DNO, I fully intend to get started back on it but enforced redundancy a granddaughter and various family things have kept me busy.....same reason I don't post as much on here too.
I do post frequently on the FB lounge page as well as other FB vintage related pages, I've also set up an Instagram page called revelation vintage for showcasing some finds.
I'm also in the process of getting an Etsy shop up and running.
The blog thing is great and I found Blogger by far the easiest to use and it's free!
Have a bash at it, if I can do it anyone can and I'd love to read some stories, and yes sometimes folk wouldn't believe where and how we find our bits and pieces!
 
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Messages
15,259
Location
Arlington, Virginia
Found at a consignment store in Richmond, VA. An original photograph by American photographer Charles Gilhousen. Titled "Seated Nude with Lyre" from 1915. This is a truly rare and unique find. The composition and lighting in this piece are fantastic. I am excited to have it hanging in my home. Excuse the poor matting and framing. I will re-mat and frame this at some point in the near future.

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feltfan

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,190
Location
Oakland, CA, USA
Anyone ever heard of commemorative Golden Gate Bridge cufflinks? Trying to determine the date and info
about the cufflinks I bought yesterday. They are 12K gold filled and definitely the Golden Gate Bridge.
 

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Retro Spectator

Practically Family
Messages
824
Location
Connecticut
Today I went to a church tag sale and found this neat suit. It was made by Masterpiece by Middishade for a shop called Mason and Johnson in Torrington Connecticut. A really neat thing about it is that I found a note in the vest's pocket. The note is addressed to a fellow called Mr. Galgano, and it tells him to update a student's phone number. Apparently Mr. Galgano was a teacher in Torrington Connecticut. I searched for his name on Google and found his obituary. It tells how he fought in WWII, and later became a teacher, and how he remained a teacher until his retirement. I found his story very interesting as I never usually know who was the previous owner of vintage garments I purchase.

The union label on the suit is cut off, but I would assume that it is pre-1968 as it has the red ink. I can't tell if it is pre-1962 or not because I can't see whether there is the little "R" in the corner or not.

The suit.
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The note.
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I also found a tie and a record set at the tag sale. I am wearing the tie in the picture where I am wearing the suit. The tie is made by a company called Columbus, and the tie is called "The Suburban". The record set is of Glenn Miller, and I think it may be related to the Glenn Miller story movie.

The tie's label.
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The record set.
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