An excellent World War II optical instrument, a pair of German "flakfernrohr" binoculars, approx. 14" x 8" x 6 1/2", used by anti-aircraft gun crews to spot targets. The binoculars are faintly marked "D.F. 10x80 dkl" on the right prism housing, indicating that they were manufactured by Schneider of Bad Kreuznach and have a 10x80 magnification factor. A rubber face mask protects the individually-adjustable eyepieces, while a knob on the top adjusts the eyepieces to the width of the user's eyes. A second knob cycles through a selection of filters, to be used in various lighting situations. The optics are in good shape, with a few small spots of fungus visible in the left-hand objective lens, but otherwise very clear and crisp. The dull green finish has been worn through in several spots, exposing the grey and red primer beneath, else very good. The instrument is mounted on a large bracket incorporating an elevation knob with indicator dial, marked "cxn 40723', indicating manufacture by Emil Busch of Rathenow. The bracket is in turn affixed to a scaled rotating base with fine-adjustment knob and a bubble level, marked "cxn 38787". This in turn rests atop a heavy steel tripod. Of the elements required to put this instrument into use, only the metal lens hoods (and the flak gun itself) are absent. When dismounted, the binoculars are housed in their original 12" x 22" x 18" wood storage crate, marked "Flakfernrohr 10x80" on the lid, but also bearing the address of the American soldier who "liberated" them as a souvenir at war's end: "From: T/Sgt. R.C. Lambert 31094642 Hq. IX AFSC. Disarm. Div. APO 149. 1/0 Pm. NYC". A small, badly faded paper label indicating that the crate contains no U.S. government property is stapled at the bottom left corner of the lid, and the front edge of the lid bears the black ink inscription "German Glass" with a swastika. The case also contains a small steel box holding replacement filters, and several replacement bulbs for the internal illumination mechanism are also present. Altogether, a fabulous and eye-catching World War II display.