The early beginnings of Carl Zeiss scopes

[Absolut]

Found this G.Z. I scope (first pattern, with hand engraving - serial number #550) on a local gun show. The seller told me he got it from a friend, who previously chopped the rifle into pieces to sell the scope afterwards Short story, I bought it.

Note that it is a prism scope, this means the tube itself is just something to be able to use it on a rifle as it was common with other manufacturers. The rear claw mount is offset, as with most German WWI sniper rifles.

 

[vaughn99]

Hello,

VERY NICE scope. I have been trying to add one of these to my collection for years. I also want a Hensoldt version also the Solar 5x. I did find a early Goerz though 2.75x. I collect serial info for these scopes also for all 4 versions. I had a fella ask for the reticule no.1 on this and he was surprised when I told him the Reticule No.1 was not invented yet!!! I believe there was ONLY 2 reticules available for these scopes. great example thanks for sharing.

later
vaughn

 

[Absolut]

Hi Vaughn99, thought you'll like the scope. To me it looks like the reticle was also soldered, hence the dot in the middle. There are hardly any pictures on those scopes on the net, so I thought I should post some.

I'll keep my eyes open for your Solar 5x, but cannot remember seeing one before.

 

[Dave Roberts]

Very Nice Condition and kinda hard to find in this Cond. If I remember correctly there was some testing done with these types of scopes for Sniper use but it did not pan out . I believe it was Wolfgang & Thomas who showed me the write up on these . Thanks for Sharing . Best Regards .

 

[vaughn99]

Hello,

here are pics of the solar 5x Prismatic Hensoldt scope enjoy. with all the years of collecting serials I only have 27 observations for all 4 Zeiss Prismatic variants not much!!!


later
vaughn

 

[Absolut]

Oh it is THIS scope! You know what, I even have one of those . However, mine looks different from the one in your picture. It is much thicker at the eyepiece.

Did you knew that there is an original picture of an Austrian Sniper in WWI, carrying a sporterized M.95 with a Hensoldt Solar scope?

€dit: checked mine in detail, hardly readable but it's a 2.75x from Hensoldt. Serial number is hardly readable, but three digits.

 

[Old_glass]

Hello,

here are pics of the solar 5x Prismatic Hensoldt scope enjoy. with all the years of collecting serials I only have 27 observations for all 4 Zeiss Prismatic variants not much!!!


later
vaughn

I see you saved my photos from eBay Vaughn! That scope is now in Germany again.

Absolut, I've added your Nr.550 to my list of Zeiss prismatic sights. Thank you for posting those photos. Did you get the mount bases also?

We usually refer to this model as the "G.Z.II", since it is significantly different from the first model in which the eyepiece was inclined, and because Zeiss apparently referred to them this way. We know this because when the "Teleweit", the third model appeared, it was marked "G.Z.III."

Around the end of production on the G.Z.II, the typical "Carl Zeiss Jena" logo began to be engraved on the prism case cover, as is seen on the later G.Z.III and G.Z.IV (Telekipp) models.

The knurled ring on the ocular lens of your scope is a bit different in configuration from some others I have seen.

The small lug on the bottom of the sight body is interesting because the front edge is angled as though it was intended to hook into some kind of base, presumably to absorb some of the recoil forces. I have not seen that feature on other examples of this sight.