Doppelfernrohr 6x30 Voigtländer "Artl." Artillerie, Artillery Kriegsmarine, circa 1939
Doppelfernrohr D.F. 6x30, produced by Voigtländer, for the Artillery departments of the Kriegsmarine. This binoculars, produced circa 1939, are the only known of a limited series of examples produced. The characteristics present on this exceptional binocular make it an absolute rarity of its kind: the type of reticle present in the right eyepiece found only on artillery binoculars, normally 7x50; the particular numbered ring, located on the base of the left eyepiece and above all, an exceptional fact for any 6x30, the blue anti-reflective treatment present on all lenses, a system developed and patented on 1 November 1935 by Aleksander Smakula, a member of the Zeiss staff of Jena since 1934.
On the left eyepiece plate, in addition to the full manufacturer's mark (Voigtländer) and the magnifications (D.F. 6x30 – Doppel Fernrohr 6x30) there is the eagle of acceptance by the Kriegsmarine. On the right eyepiece plate, in addition to the abbreviation "Artl." (Artillerie), also the assignment number “0123”, which, in all probability, refers to a very specific position.
The vision is perfectly clear and collimated and a small chip on the left prism does not in any way affect the excellent view. All mechanisms work correctly.
Regarding the format of 6x30 binoculars, produced for the Kriegsmarine, very few examples are known to have been built by Carl Zeiss for the Kriegsmarine artillery, especially with the blue anti-reflective treatment.
Voigtländer Braunschweig was created in Vienna in 1756, the company took its name from its founder, Johann Christoph Voigtländer and initially produced optical instruments, intended in particular for microscopes and other scientific equipment. Among the first creations were the Petzval type lenses, and others destined to become famous, such as the Collinear and the Heliar. In 1840 he built the first lens for cameras, while in 1841 the first entirely metal daguerreotype was developed.
He subsequently produced plate machines, built in a practically artisanal way. In 1849 the headquarters were moved to Braunschweig, Germany, where Voigtländer & Sohn was born shortly thereafter. In 1925 it was purchased by Schering AG. Voigtländer later oriented its production towards photographic devices accessible to all, and this allowed it to remain among the market leaders until after the Second World War. In 1958 it was bought by the Carl Zeiss Foundation and in 1972 it was renamed "Zeiss Ikon Voigtländer".
In 1973 the brand became the property of Rollei until the crisis of 1982. At this point the brand was bought first by "Plus foto", which from 1980 marketed Voigtländer cameras produced by Ricoh and Chinon and then in 1995 by "Ringfoto", but this represents more than anything a long period of darkness. Finally in 1999 the brand was reborn with the purchase by the Japanese Cosina.