7 x 22 "Proteos"By J.Zion opticien fabricant Paris

No: S2 23788

This binocular was produced by J. Zion Paris between 1910 and 1914.

On the left side is engraved " Proteos " and " MG". On the right side you find Zion Paris. Also hand engraved S2 23788.

MG means Ministere de la Guerre. Owned by the French military.

During WW1 and WW11 all British binoculars that were used by the Armed Forces were stamped with the Ministry Broad Arrow. At the time of WW1 there was a shortage of binoculars, so the military ‘bought in’ a lot of binoculars. These binoculars could have been French, German, or from private individuals ect, wherever they could find them.

WW1′bought in’ binoculars were stamped as follows:-

S.1 High Grade Prismatic Binoculars

S.2 Second Grade Prismatic Binoculars

S.3 High Grade Galilean Binoculars

S.4 Second Grade Galilean Binoculars

S.5 Third Grade Binoculars Of Either Type

S.6 Unusual Design Binoculars

And of course they had the Ministry Broad Arrow.

This one has no broad arrow, so it was not used by the British?