Collecting and using "classic" or "vintage" scopes can be addictive fun! And I am proud to say that I am an "addict" in this sense. I have arbitrarily defined a classic or vintage scope as - a scope that is more than 25 years old and has a level of quality that is above the "entry-level" scopes available today. The vast majority of these classic scopes were manufactured in Japan, before the big shift to Chinese production in the mid-1990's. To avoid redundancy, I will not ramble on about the virtues of classic scopes here. Instead, I would refer those seeking information on these scopes to visit the Cloudy Nights Classic Scopes forum - Cloudy Nights Classics Forum
Listed below are some of the vintage scopes and binoculars that I have owned during my time in this hobby. This list is always growing and I will try to keep it updated. Scopes and binoculars with an asterisk(*) next to them are items that I still own and use. Most of these scopes and binos were restored to some degree and eventually sold off so I can buy more classics. So there is a high level of turnaround in my collection. I lack the budget and space to amass a large personal collection, so after I get my kicks from a particular scope, it usually gets sold off - unless I really really like it, then it stays and gets an asterisk. Over time, each item below will be linked to a photo of that particular scope/binocular. Eventually I hope to expand this section of my website to include some specifications and notes about each item.
(Note : additional photos are linked as "#2", "#3", and so on.)
Vintage Scopes :
Vintage Binoculars :
Last Update : Sunday November 18th, 2007
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