Third Party Press

Zeiss Zieldovier

moconfed

moconfed

Senior Member
I recently acquired a Zieldovier from a fellow forum member and wondered if someone could answer a few questions, as I have not had any luck on the internet.
1. I'd like to know the year of production: serial #3639
2. The optic has an illuminated reticle via an optional light source. I'm interested in what exactly the light source would have been, and if anyone has an image of such?
3. What mounts were intended for these? It is a 30mm tube.
 
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It is a variable power scope of which Zeiss initially has had two models. For what I understood Zeiss produced all scopes in the same serial range, meaning scope 3638 could have been a Zielvier, 3639 (your scope) then the Zieldovier, 3640 then a Zielacht. So it would make it a rather early model.
What is interesting is that the reprint of old US catalogues of Zeiss that I have shows the Zieldovier and Zieldosechs scopes in 1926, but the 1929 dating catalogue already has them replaced by Zielmulti (1-4x) and Zielmultar (1-6x).

Unfortunately to me none of the illumination attachements are known to have survived. It is a small add on with a cable and illustrated in the 1926 catalogue. Zeiss offered this for various of its scopes, it is basically a small circular lense on the side that allows light to get into the tube.

Re mounts - rings with 30mm diameter ;) .

PS: please edit the title from Zeldovier to Zieldovier, for in future to come up when someone searches for the correct term.

PPS, maybe of interest, prices in 1926 catalogue were:
Zieleins $ 25
Zielklein $ 25
Zielvier $ 45
Zielsechs $ 52
Zielacht $ 60
Zielmulti $ 66
Zielmultar $ 66
Prices included standard graticule and leather caps with straps. For whatever reason the 1926 catalogue lists prices for Zielmulti and Zielmultar but not for Zieldovier and Zieldosechs despite those were actually published?

The 1929 catalogue I have is UK and lists the following prices:
Zieleins 5 Pound 8 Shilling (?)
Zielklein 5 Pound 8 Shilling (?)
Zielvier 9 Pound 12 Shilling 6 Pence (?)
Zielsechs 11 Pound 2 Shilling (?)
Zielacht 12 Pound 16 Shilling (?)
Zielmulti 14 Pound 5 Shilling (?)
Zielmultar 14 Pound 5 Shilling (?)
 

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Hello,

Your scope the Zieldovier was made in 1922/23 and is 1 of 17 made that year. Zeiss made a few stranglers for the info I have till 1930 (being I only have till 1930 I don't know if they made anymore 1 offs here and there later) and a total of only 70 were made 1921-1930. 1921/22 was the biggest year produced. 1926-1930 only 8 scopes were made. I have been searching for any photo for the illuminated reticule device. I heard/read of only 1 description it attaches like Absolut mentioned (Plus pictured in the catalog) but the cord plugged into some power source pack that your belt held. This model and Zieldosechs were the only 2 models with every scope having standard Illuminated reticule port. I did run across a Zielsechs 2653 once that had the port and might of been a option offered from the factory you could add. Again currently only hear say on the power pack. Like mentioned above normal claw mount rings and bases would be attached. I would like to inform that Zeiss did indeed have a block system in scopes (except for 1 or 2 scope runs maybe special orders??). I have not found what the sizes are and the more popular scopes would have bigger blocks of course but multiple of the SAME model scopes were made in a row. I don't know what you paid for that scope since you didn't buy it off an auction site but I was trying to win that scope when it was sold on eBay in 2021 and the winner paid a VERY heavy price for it ( I think 1200+ if I recall) as I was trying to complete a 3 consecutive serial block as I have 3640 out of Maine USA and 3641 I bought out of Hungary. The Zieldosechs Only 38 were made from 1921-1930 and the 2 heaviest years were from 1921/22 & 1925/26. Zielmulti/Zielmultar start in 1922/23 till at least 1930 with about 300+/- of each made in that period.

Later
Vaughn99
 
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vaughn99 said:
I don't know what you paid for that scope since you didn't buy it off an auction site but I was trying to win that scope when it was sold on eBay in 2021 and the winner paid a VERY heavy price for it
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It was listed here on the forum trader for $ 600: https://www.k98kforum.com/threads/sold-zeiss-zieldovier-scope.66225/ . The $ 600 IMHO were very cheap for what one actually gets, on the other hand I do think the $ 1200 were overpriced.

Vaughn, btw if it helps - I own Zieldovier #3630, Zieldosechs #3701, Zielmulti #14107 and Zielmultar #13819. And I also have a Zielvier which has provision for the illuminated reticle - if I remember correctly that is also one that has a lateral adjustment knob from factory too (pre G.Z. 4x, meaning a small screw in a brass housing).

PS: missed to address, in the above pictured catalogue it is mentioned in the chart below what the "illumination device" is. Note that it says "lamp casing with bulb and cable [..]". I think Zeiss had a similar illumination device for binoculars, if I remember correctly.
 
Hello.

If you ever have time and can share pics of Zieldovier #3630 (I have observation 3629), Zieldosechs #3701 I would like to see them and the IR Zielvier, I do have the others you listed. My 2 Zieldovier I paid quite a bit less for so it sounds like i did good, my Hungary does have allot of pitting present. Thanks for ad link. I'll have to round up my catalogs and see if more info is present on the IR devise. Looks like I didn't recall correctly since hatrick had 600 into it. Which is is more that double and quadruple I have into mine and why i was not pursing it further but I did bid on it.

Later
Vaughn99
 
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I'm not sure what @hatrick originally paid for the scope when he got it. It doesn't need to be him who bought it on eBay when it was there the first time.

If you look close on the catalogue picture you can see that illumination device is kind of wrapped around the whole tube of the scope. The line usually found on the tube therefore might just act as indexing line, to avoid it to move on the tube.

Will try to get you some pictures of my scopes when I find the time to pull them. They were among a collection I bought and kept. Some other pretty unique stuff was in there too, like 10x scopes from Hensoldt, Ajack and others.
 
I picked up the Zieldovier a couple of years ago for ~$600 which is what I sold it to moconfed for. Had I know there was only 70 made I probably would have held on to it just for rarity sake but it didn’t really fit into my collection so I wanted to let someone who would fully appreciate it have it. Super cool scope for sure and seemingly ahead of its time.
 
vaughn99 said:
Your scope the Zieldovier was made in 1922/23 and is 1 of 17 made that year. Zeiss made a few stranglers for the info I have till 1930 (being I only have till 1930 I don't know if they made anymore 1 offs here and there later) and a total of only 70 were made 1921-1930. 1921/22 was the biggest year produced. 1926-1930 only 8 scopes were made.
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Thats very interesting, i have been days in the Zeiss archive, but didnt found anything like these.
There are manufacture datas in the archive, but quite difference to this, also in the quantities.
It would be very interesting to know the source for your datas- would you tell for further search on this point?
 
I located some discussion of the early Zeiss variable power scopes on another forum along with images of one disassembled, showing the mechanicals. Very interesting optics.
The finish on my Zieldovier is good, and shows no signs of mounts of any kind being attached.
I have seen an image of a scoped rifle with a similar illumination device that has a momentary switch fixed to the left side of the rifle for activation.
 
moconfed said:
I located some discussion of the early Zeiss variable power scopes on another forum along with images of one disassembled, showing the mechanicals. Very interesting optics.
Click to expand...
These?
Zielmultar, i have taken them some years ago.
 

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