Observation binoculars - 1900-2000 - France - Dumont, Paris

Object Identification Sheet

Type of object: Historic civil-military field and touring binoculars (known as ‘field glasses’ or ‘opera glasses’).

Manufacturer: Dumont, Paris (France).

Model / Trade name: Army & Navy Binocular.

Date: Turn of the 19th and 20th centuries – the Edwardian period / the First World War (c. 1900–1918).

Country of manufacture: France (marked ‘Made in France’ on the lower bridge) – a version produced for the export market (hence the English inscriptions).

Inscriptions on the tubes: ‘Prisma Paris’ and ‘Extra Power’.

Detailed Technical and Visual Description

1. Optical System and Construction: Despite the engraved name ‘Prisma’, these binoculars do not feature internal Porro or roof prisms. They are a classic, simple design based on the Galilean system (straight tubes, where the objective lens and eyepiece are in a straight line). At that time, manufacturers very often used the word ‘Prisma’ or shaped the body to imitate more expensive prismatic binoculars, which was a common marketing tactic.

2. Focusing Mechanism The binoculars are fitted with an efficient central focusing system. Using a large, knurled knob situated on the central axis, both tubes (made of nickel-plated or chrome-plated brass) extend smoothly, adjusting the focus to the distance. Next to the eyepieces are deep, ergonomic eyecups made of black plastic (ebonite/bakelite), which shielded the eyes from stray light.

3. Aesthetics and Body Finish The main body of the binoculars was covered with natural leather featuring a distinctive scaly texture, styled to resemble lizard or snake skin. The remaining metal components are coated in black stove enamel, the edges of which show fine, natural scuffs revealing the brass underneath.

4. Original Case The set includes an original, rigid case made from thick, tanned leather in a honey-brown colour. Interior: Lined with elegant black velvet featuring a gold-embossed inscription: ‘Dumont, Paris. ARMY & NAVY BINOCULAR’.

Design: The case lid is integrated with a leather shoulder strap (passing through loops and riveted), which prevented the lid from being lost once the case was opened.

Historical Context: The name ‘Army & Navy’ refers directly to British and American traditions of supplying the upper classes and officers (often associated with the elite department stores of the Army & Navy Co-operative Society). Although the Dumont binoculars were a commercial product intended for the civilian market (horse racing, tourism, theatre), such private optical instruments were snapped up in large numbers by British and French army officers at the start of the First World War due to massive shortages in official military supplies.