RARE BOER WAR TRENCH PERISCOPE

[spanferkel]

interesting piece

[Tony]

I've taken some photos of my periscopes and although this thread started with Mervyn's fantastic Boer War periscope, I'll carry on adding to it with later periscopes and will hope there's as much interest in them as those above.

First up is my favourite. It's a private purchase concertina periscope made by those great makers of jams since 1881, F Duerr & Sons who are still in the jam business up the north of England in Manchester. See here if interested.

In its carry case which can be attached to a standard 08 web belt.

[Tony]

Packet for spare mirror and spare mirror with packing.

[Tony]

Periscope showing the maker's label.

I had another Duerr periscope whereby the transfer label had been changed to a stamping into the metal lid and would think it was a later, maybe cheaper model.

Tony

[Tony]

Periscope.

[Tony]

Contents of the case including a cloth for the mirrors. This came with the periscope but I have no idea if it's original.

Tony

[Tony]

This is a copy of the prices and how to use the product.

I sold the F Duerr periscope I mentioned with the maker's name impressed/stamped into the lid to a prop buyer for the Canadian film Passchendaele. It was destroyed by a German machine gunner within the first few minutes of the film. Shame if it was the original but it was their item to do with as they wished.

Tony

Edited March 22, 2010 by Tony

[Tony]

I'll add some other periscopes later.

Tony

[Tony]

Some periscopes being rather long, are difficult to photograph. This one is a simple French periscope, four pieces of wood nailed together with two mirrors.

Tony

[Tony]

The opposite end.

[Tony]

Another French periscope (I call them both French because I bought them in France) but this time a little more exotic. It's screwed together, has a brass slider to protect the eyes in case a horrid German sniper shoots out the top mirror.

[Tony]

A brass slider at the top to protect the mirror.

This one also has a tube which no doubt would have been placed over the stake driven into the mud of the parapet.

[Tony]

British box periscope showing the slider pulled down in place to protect the eyes from broken glass. The paper label is now almost non existent.

And folded up ready to be placed into the canvas bag which I don't have.

Edited March 23, 2010 by Tony

[Tony]

Catch to hold it open when viewing.

[Tony]

Mirror protection during transportation.

Edited March 23, 2010 by Tony

[Tony]

Eye protection slider up and a front view of the No. 9 box periscope.

By the way, the nut that can be seen on the bolt protruding from the bottom is for attaching a stake, holding the periscope in place in the parapet.

Tony

[Tony]

MK9 periscope from R & J Beck Ltd. dated 1917.

Tony

P.S.: more to follow later

[omegamorgan]

Thanks for the new pictures of the Periscope collections... I love the Duers one, collapsable.... I've bid on them a few times, but have limited means...and didn't bid highy enough.

I haven't posted any more pictures of my own periscopes, because i'm in Ireland at the moment.I sold three of my Periscopes at a car boot in Wigan, to help fund my Ireland Visit, two for for £60..the pair.They are now on Ebay, at £85 ...and £95 ...each.... enough said.

I only have one other, which i will post pictures of next week ...when i return....Ian

Thanks for the pictures again ...please keep them comming

[peter monahan]

Another French periscope... but this time a little more exotic. It's screwed together, has a brass slider to protect the eyes in case a horrid German sniper shoots out the top mirror.

And you don't consider it unsporting of the Allied offciers to even employ such dastardly devices instead of showing real pluck and sticking their headsa up over the parapet?

Fascinating thread, BTW!

Peter

[Mervyn Mitton]

How this little thread has grown. Tony, some very interesting new additions - like Ian, I like the Duerr example - and you could use it to shave. Ian, did we welcome you to GMIC ?

I will look forward to seeing your next posting.

p.s. I hadn't realised that the one with the wooden handle took apart.

[Ian Shepherd]

Periscope showing the maker's label.

I had another Duerr periscope whereby the transfer label had been changed to a stamping into the metal lid and would think it was a later, maybe cheaper model.

Tony

Hi Tony you beet me to it with your Duerr's periscope. here is a pic of the stamped version. Ian.

[William1]

Tony, that Lifeguard periscope of yours is - by far - the finest example I have seen in 30 years of collecting. I would think the cleaning cloth is probably original to it, not that I have seen one of them before, and I must have seen dozens of the periscopes. Very nice.

I will have to dig out my No. 26 periscope and take some photos. It's the model with the wiggly wire bit welded to the top for attaching bits of camouflage rag etc. It came in a canvas case, which is a bit ill-fitting but seems to belong to it.

I also have a "Vigilant" bayonet mirror named to an Argyll and Sutherland Highlander who was killed on the Somme. Nothing spectacular to look at, but a poignant piece.

Regards,

W.

[Tony]

William,

Thanks for compliment. I was very pleased with myself when I bought it.

I also have a Vigilant which I'll post today or tomorrow, I know there were several versions as I've had a couple myself. It's nice to have one named to a soldier.

I haven't posted any more pictures of my own periscopes, because i'm in Ireland at the moment.I sold three of my Periscopes at a car boot in Wigan, to help fund my Ireland Visit, two for for £60..the pair.They are now on Ebay, at £85 ...and £95 ...each.... enough said.

I've sold something on this forum in the past at a good collectors price only to see it on ebay soon afterwards, very annoying.

Peter, those horrid German snipers probably had more fun showing how good they were shooting away bits of periscope.

Tony

[Tony]

This one is a US model.

Its construction is a little more complicated in my opinion as twisted wire is holding it together.

The first photo shows the stake to be pushed into the ground when using this small periscope.

Tony

Edited March 25, 2010 by Tony

[Tony]

A hook to carry it on the belt. This must have been a right pain in the bum in narrow trenches while carrying all sorts of other kit and trying to pass others in the trenches.