Mount for Japanese naval binoculars

Maker Nikko

Date1930-1940s

Object number00015737

NameMount

MediumSteel, paint

DimensionsOverall: 150 x 405 mm, 0.7 kg

ClassificationsTools and equipment

Credit LineANMM Collection Purchased with USA Bicentennial Gift funds

Terms

DescriptionThis mount for Japanese navy binoculars belonged to Lieutenant Commander RAN B T Edgerton who served in the Royal Australian Navy during World War II.HistoryThe design and production of optical glass began in Japan in 1918. The Nippon Kogaku Japanese optical glass manufacturing company was formed in 1917 when Fujii Brothers joined Iwaki Glass and Tokyo Keiki Seisaku Sho to manufacture optical munitions. The company became known as Nikko - an abbreviation of the company's name and this mark was used on binoculars during World War II. In 1918 over 15,000 prism binoculars were exported by Nippon Kogaku to America, France, England and Russia. In 1921 a group of eight German engineers and scientists were hired to redesign Nippon Kogaku binoculars. In 1921 they produced two new models called Luscar and Mikron and in 1923 released the Orion and Nova series of binoculars. During the 1930s Nippon Kogaku produced the Imperial Army NCO field binocular type 93, which was issued to all non commissioned officers in the Japanese Army. During World War II both Nikko and Tokyo Kogaku Kikai, another Japanese optical manufacturer, produced the largest number of large military binoculars. The design of the giant binoculars used by the United States army was largely copied from captured Japanese models.SignificanceThese binoculars provide an important historical record of the types of equipment used by the Royal Australian Navy during World War II.