Colmont LC Binoculars

[Indiana Jon]

An old eBay saved search paid off last week. I scored these WWI Colmont binoculars for a relatively low price considering their condition. All four leather pieces are intact, and while the leather has shrunk enough to begin pulling at the seams, the bond is still tight. There is some dust behind the lenses and the adjustment wheel needed a drop of lubricant, but they are fully functional and you can see through them clearly. It's my understanding that any binoculars issued typically had markings etched on the inner tubes. Mine have no such markings, so I doubt they were ever issued, let alone saw combat. They do have just the right amount of wear and tear for something this age, so they were used in some capacity. Whoever had them took excellent care of them over the years.

General gearhead consensus seems to be that Indy is using Colmonts in Last Crusade, and while I've always been a little skeptical that Colmonts are an exact match, I do agree that they are the closest match we've found so far and my comparison below certainly supports that theory.













A note about the comparison shot; No effort was made to replicate the lighting elements in the original shot. I took this photo indoors and by myself in front of a mirror, so the angle isn't perfect. My black sweater makes the binos appear darker than they are, but as you can see from the other photos they are a dark brown. Also, I think it's safe to say that Ford has thicker fingers than I do, considering he was a craftsman and five years my senior when they shot LC.



I got lucky with these. Even if they aren't an exact match, they are a beautiful antique and I'm proud to have them in my collection. Let me know what you think!

[Epímaco]

I don't know if those are an exact match, but they certainly have me fooled!
You've scored some nice binoculars there!

[Indiana Jeff]

Indeed. Excellent find there.


Regards,

Indiana Jeff

[bearbeast]

Maaan, those binoculars are gorgeous! Good find, Indiana Jon! The fact that you can see clearly through them is a huge bonus, really great considering their age.

Cheers,
Bear

[Indiana Jon]

Thank you, gentlemen. Sometimes patience pays off.