A superb pair of 20 x 120 (20 power magnification and 120 mm objective lenses) large scale military binoculars by Toko (Tokyo Optical Company) of Japan, circa 1940. Originally used for long range land, sea and air observation during WWII. The Japanese companies of Nikko and Toko were the principal manufacturers of binoculars for Japan's military during WWII with Toko being the main supplier to the Imperial Japanese Army. To achieve the high standard of optics required for this type of instrument, it is recorded that the Japanese optical industries purchased some 200,000 pounds of optical glass from the specialist glass manufacturer Schott in Germany through the duration of the war, delivered to them via U-Boat.
The binoculars have been stripped of their original paint, the cast aluminium polished to a mirror finish and then mounted on a custom made bracket fitted to a period wooden tripod stand. The brass eye pieces, and backs to the prism boxes have been stripped of their original black finish, polished, cleaned and then plated with a thin layer of gold to prevent them tarnishing and minimise cleaning. The optics have been fully refurbished to the highest standards. The binoculars come with a newly made hardwood floor stand to provide stability to the tripod and give protection to floor surfaces.
Dimensions: 67 cm/26.5 inches (length of binocular).
