Century Mark IV Binocs

I've got a set of 8x40 binocs with the above name. They come in a hard leather case lined with red felt. Made in Japan. Can anyone provide me with some history on these things? I'm guessing they are 40-50 years old, but I can't find anything digging around on the web.

Hi, Dave.
The red felt hard case (brown, I'm guessing?) and 8x40 specs remind me of the classic Bell & Howell 8x40s from the '60s & '70s.

I've attached a photo of the B&H model.

My own B&H pair has the following specs/characteristics:
field of view = 510 ft. @ 1000 yds. (9.7 degs.)
BK7 prisms
MgFl coatings (quite blue)
pebble-grain "leatherette" covering
german/Zeiss style body (separate objective barrels; not one-piece Bausch & Lomb/American style)
leather hinge on case is fastened with 7 rivets (4 top, 3 bottom)

The right-side hinge area of my B&H (just off the front shoulder, where barrel joins prism housing) includes the Japan manufacturer code of "B191" -- this specifies either Seiwa Optical Co. or Yoko Sangyo as the maker of the completed binocular (likely Seiwa).

You should be able to find a similar "B" code engraved either on the hinge itself or snugged up against the front cover plate. Just to the left of the "B" code, there should be a slanted "J" with a right-leading horizontal dash. On my B&H, the bottom curl of the "J-" is hidded by the edge of the cover plate, so the character looks like a slanted "L" instead.

There might also be a serial number on the front hinge cap (mine is "BH-44293").

I learned my way around the sky with my parents' B&H 8x40s and an old hardcover edition of the "Field Guide to the Stars & Planets." (The B&H pair I have now is a replacement I picked up a few years ago.)

This URL will lead you to a list of Japan manufacturer codes:
www.home.europa.com/~telscope/jbcode.txt
I'd sure be curious to know if your Century Mark IVs are by Seiwa. Let us know what you find.

Cheers.
-Dan

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