Brass binoculars covered, in large part, with dark leather. The exposed parts have a black japan finish. The objective lenses are 2.2 cm diameter. The eye end of the left prism housing is marked “Stereo-Jumelle / Zeiss No 2951 / BTE S.G.B.G.” in cursive script. That on the right is marked “E. Krauss & Cie Paris” also in cursive. The field end of the right prism housing is marked “Agent / J. H. Steward / London” and scratched “4329.” The “8” on the top of the center post may refer to the power of the piece. The eyepieces are separately adjustable as is the inter-ocular distance.
Carl Zeiss, Jena, began making prism binoculars in 1894, based on the design developed by Ernst Abbe. E. Krauss of Paris was licensed to assemble and sell instruments of this sort, using Zeiss optics.
Ref: Krauss ad in L’Industrie Francaise des Instruments de Precision (Paris, 1901-1902).
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