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My father had these antique J.H. Steward Optician, 456 West strand, London marked binoculars for many years. Would it be possible to determine the time period of these binoculars.
(I did the cartridge conversion of the Uberti Colt 1851 to 38 S&W also shown in the photo)https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../28ilohh-1.jpg
There is a J H Steward optician's shop on Bisley Camp at the moment. I don't know whether it's the same London firm with an outpost or someone who snapped up the rights to the name, though.
I cannot be completely certain but 456 Strand, which is right next to Trafalgar Square, appears to be part of a supermarket these days. From the size of the unit, which is now three knocked together, I assume it was the original shop's showroom.
My wife loves hand woven Navajo textiles. That’s a pretty one.
What is involved in the cartridge conversion to 38 S&W?
I did my first cartridge conversion on a Uberti 1861 Colt which was purchased incomplete (the cylinder and loading lever were missing). The second conversion was also an incomplete Uberti 1851 Colt. Both revolvers required replacing the internal parts, replacing the mainsprings with Colt type 1873. I had two modern cylinders in 38 S&W cal made by a company in the early 1980's. You have to make a recoil plate, firing pin bushing and spring loaded firing pin. Also had to make the ejector housing and loading gate. Purchased from EMF ejector rods and brass ejector rod springs and grips from Tombstone.
Very nice to shoot with light smokeless or you can use blackpowder.
Photo show construction of ejector housing on '51 Colthttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5/4ubak7-1.jpg
You did a very nice job. It’s a beauty.
If the cross piece adjacent to the oculars does not have a nose relief, i.e., symmetrical from end to end, they are likely mid-19th century.
I wonder if J. H. Steward were the retailer/stockists of the binoculars rather than the makers? Is the name marked on the binoculars or do you have a leather case which has this marking on? I would suggest an age range for these non prismatic binoculars from mid 19th century to early 20th century and I have seen photographs of similar binos in use in WW1 as well as the much more modern prism type.
The name and address is around both of the eye-pieces on these binoculars, it came without a case. The magnification would appear to be around 3x ?
It does sound like the manufacturer rather than the retailer in that case.
This any help J H Steward...
Looks like these are the same people, although the street number is different, they were on the go from 1912 to 1970. If it is the same lot then I guess the binos date from sometime near to 1912 or just after?
I wonder if the tapered body of the binoculars which is now just plain brass was originally covered in leather (brown?) which has since been lost?