Mystery 6x42

Mfr: Unknown

Date: Unknown

AFOV: ~70 degrees

Eye Relief: ~24mm

Mounted Version

Handheld Version

This appears to be a military 6x42 binocular intended for sighting applications.  There are two versions with the same optics, one mounted, and one handheld.  The optics are coated and the eyepieces are fixed focus (at infinity) .  There are no markings indicating the maker or when they were made.   My best guess is that they are American made from WWII or shortly after.  I have had reports from other collectors with examples of this model.  The wide angle views through them are very similar to those of the famous Sard 6x42, though the optics design do not appear to be the same.  Although I am not sure if this is the same one, there is a mention of a 6x42 binocular designed by the University of Rochester and Eastman Kodak for the American P-61 Black Widow night fighter of WWII in the following book (thanks to Peter Abrahams and Steve Stimson for this information):

Office of Scientific Research and Development. Applied Physics. (Science in World War II). Part II: Optics, A History of Divisions 16 and 17, NDRC, by H. Kirk Stephenson and Edgar L. Jones. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1948. (on page 220)

View of a prism:

Note the asymmetrical shape and the unusual mechanism for moving the prism for collimation.  The screw on the left slides the prism from side to side and the cam screw on the right changes the angle (both screws protrude through the body for adjustment).  Both prisms in each side appear to be identical.

Illuminated reticle pattern and light bulb on mounted version:

The mounted version has a reticle in one side with a light bulb for illumination.  The pattern of the reticle is four dots in a horizontal line.  This seems to be for aiming weapons.