Naval find.

[bluenose]

Greetings from above the closed border! I recently acquired a pair of binoculars stamped US NAVY from pre Civil War era (see attachments). The old fella that had them could only tell me what he was told, they were on a ship that went south during Civil War. They are fully functional with surprising optics. The eye cup has NEW YORK and J. Gall and Company stamped on inside rim. I have not found any similar on the net. Any one out there have a clue? Also serial number engraved. Any help greatly appreciated.

Army for life

Dave D. Oakie

 

[lupaglupa]

Wow - what a find! Welcome to the site from the Researching Your Civil War Ancestry forum. Here is upstate New York we are sad to have the border closed!

 

[JOHN42768]

Welcome, enjoy. Those are really great.

Joseph Gall. New York City, Albany. 1840s-1890s. From Germany, worked for
Dollond, then an optician in N.Y. 1884, Gall & Lembke, 'patent achromatic
spectacles'; 1894-95, advertisement in Popular Astronomy, 'have secured the
services of Mr. John Byrne'. Charles Lembke, 1860s NYC optician. (DJW-NMAH

Source: http://home.europa.com/~telscope/tsusobs.txt

You might try the Albany Historical Society

 

[UCVRelics]

Very Nice Piece and you should be able at least narrow it down with the maker, US Navy and the serial#.

 

[major bill]

This is an interesting item. I know nothing about this kind of thing so any information would add to my knowledge.

 

[A. Roy]

Beautiful piece -- thanks for joining us here!

Roy B.

 

[DaveBrt]

There is an article on a John Wallis Albert Gall in Wikipedia. Slightly late for the war, but an interesting bio.

Albert Gall - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[DaveBrt]

Still not your exact answer, but an interesting paper on the history of the telescope and binoculars, with plenty of photographs.

https://wp.optics.arizona.edu/jgreivenkamp/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2015/01/Binoculars-and-Telescopes-Proceedings-8129.pdf

 

[Ole Miss]

Welcome from the Shiloh/Pittsburg Landing Forum and North Mississippi! Be sure and visit the Forum soon.
Regards
David