Early Swift & Anderson TRITON 7x,35 Binocular w/Case: Cleaned & Lubed!.

Pretty rare as it is the sole example I've come across in 7 years of collecting and having looked at thousands of binos for sale!

The iconic and quite ubiquitous TRITON model was around from the 1950s to at least the early '80s with many slight variations. All seem to have been the standard width 7x,35.

I believe this nice set to be an example of the very first iteration made in Japan. One could easily assemble a great Swift collection just with the Triton models. Note the # stamped on major parts: 195! So one of the first 200 made. And this model must've been made in the hundreds of thousands over the decades it was produced. It competed against the Bausch & Lomb ZEPHYR that cost the equivalent of $1300.00+ over the length of its US (Rochester) production. So the Triton can be considered the Working Man's Zephyr, IMHO.

Probably made early to mid-1950s as by the later part of that decade we saw Fully Coated binos hit the market. And the build quality is very high! Akin to many German bins where, for example, extra and unneeded, screws are added so that untrained novices would be frightened even more to open them up.

Another example is the left ocular assembly where the lens cell screws down into the robustly made (not thin walled) guide tube that helps hold the prism cover down. Ya don't see such often as the outer finger grooved, or in this case cross hatched knurled(!), retaining cap is also threaded and securely holds the lens cell assembly in place regardless of whether it is a tight press fit or screwed in!  Eliminating the threading saves a lot on labor as well as complexity. And further, on this fine example, the doublet lens is also screwed in from the top requiring an optical spanner wrench for removal. Most later models use a press fit lens from the back reinforced with an aluminum or plastic spacer for the single lens at the back.

And when we popped the hood to clean inside we found finely gun-blued split lock washers on each of the three prism cluster plate screws. A redundancy later dropped as the brass screws bite into the aluminum chassis mounting blocks tight enough to preclude backing out under normal handling. Even most more ruggedly constructed military bins forego such lock washers.

When received there was the typical very light haze causing film on prisms and stiff focus controls. Also the views were off a bit from a nasty blow to the right side of the chassis where a small 1/4" wide x 1/2" long oval piece was gouged out of the vinyl covering and the metal beneath scratched. No doubling of views, but a noticeable strain on the eyes. When we reset the prisms alignment was perfect! And a dab of oil based gloss black paint took care of the offending damage that was hard to spot and now is virtually invisible unless pointed out. Such damage helps explain the nearly total lack of brassing from use on the 65+ year-old binocular. And the paint should help prevent any further peeling of the vinyl at that spot. Otherwise the chassis looks so new, you'd think it was recently painted.

Lenses are near pristine with few, if any, cleaning marks. Views are jaw dropping with high color fidelity. We will add a carry strap when shipped. The case is in useable shape as a storage box. The lid tore off from leather dry rot and the carry strap disappeared long ago. Nice silver Swift-Anderson symbol on the inside cover! As well, three now faded gold leaf initials on the lids outer top surface. Whomever once owned this set took pride!

Such optics were made to easily last an owners lifetime and be passed on for many future generations to enjoy and marvel over. What they would cost today to reproduce is unimaginable considering the overuse of plastics and glue to manufacturer binoculars in a nation that supports slave labor, genocide, as well as germ warfare on their march to global domination. Every dollar store that goes up in this country is a visible nail in our collective coffin, folks.

Satisfaction guaranteed or request a return and cheerful refund within three days of receipt, please.

And if you want more such Truth, then ya gotta try Tucker Carlson each evening! You will thank me. There is a reason he has the #1 cable news show.