Dienstglas 6x24 K.B. D.F. 03 Rodenstock, Königlich Bayerisch, around 1917

Dienstglas 6x24 Mod. 03 produced by G. Rodenstock of München exclusively from 1917 to 1918 to equip the German Army Infantry Officers with another extremely functional and compact binoculars.

The following information is shown on the right eyepiece:
"KB Dienst." or the abbreviation of "Königlich Bayerisch Dienstglas" that is "Royal Bavarian Military Binoculars" "D.F. 03" or "Doppel Fernrohrglas 03" or "Double Riflescope Model 03".
It comes complete with its original leather case in the version useful for wearing on the belt.
The vision is excellent and all the mechanisms work correctly.

Rodenstock:

The company was founded in Würzburg (Germany) by Josef Rodenstock under the name Optisches Institut G. Rodenstock in 1877. In the beginning, the company produced barometers, ophthalmic lenses and frames, scales, as well as various measuring instruments in its precision mechanics workshop.

In 1880, Rodenstock developed his first patented products, the so-called Diaphragma lenses, and only two years later he already exported them to Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy and Russia.

From 1883 onward, the company was based in Munich, and a grinding shop was established in Regen (Bavarian Forest) in 1898.

In 1899, Rodenstock started producing the first sunglasses with UV protection.

In 1886, he acquired the Rodenstock company grounds at Isartalstraße (today's Dreimühlenviertel); and when Josef's son Alexander Rodenstock joined the company in 1905, Rodenstock's entire production was moved to Munich.

From the 1920s onward, Rodenstock launched the mass production of camera lenses for a large number of major camera manufacturers. As the result of pressure from the clients for these lenses, the company stopped the production of its own cameras. Between 1930 and 1939, Rodenstock established representatives and offices on all major markets worldwide.

During WWII, Rodenstock manufactured armaments such as binoculars and optical prisms for tanks. The company also continued to manufacture eyeglasses, as those were deemed of military importance and indispensable. After the war, Rodenstock once again focused on its core competences, particularly the fields of ophthalmic lenses and frames.