Antique (early 20^th cen) Lemiere Palais Royal 6 Brass and Bakelite Binoculars Still Works See Photo

THIS LISTING IS FOR AN ANTIQUE LATE 19TH CENTURY OR EARLY 20TH CENTURY FRENCH LEMIERE PALAIS ROYAL 6 BRASS AND BAKELITE BINOCULARS. THERE ARE SOME BAKELITE CRACKS BUT THE OPTICS ARE CLEAR AND MOVE IN AND OUT OF FOCUS WELL PLEASE SEE PHOTO.
 
THESE WERE POPULAR BINOCULARS FOR THE OPERA HOUSES BUT ALSO FOR SPORTING EVENTS ESPECIALLY THE HORSE RACING CROWD. AFTER WW1 STARTED MANY OF THESE LOW MAGNIFICATION OPERA BINOCULARS WERE ADOPTED FOR THE MILITARY USE AND WERE OF GOOD USE IN THE TRENCH WARFARE THAT FOLLOWED.
 
J. P. Lemiere, a French optician, is credited with inventing the first successful binoculars in 1825, creating a pair of opera glasses with two parallel telescopes for improved depth perception and a more comfortable viewing experience. While early binoculars were a significant advancement, they lacked the power and portability of modern designs.
 
His initial creation was a pair of opera glasses, with a design featured two parallel telescopes mounted side-by-side, providing the stereoscopic view and depth perception that is characteristic of all modern binoculars. The Lumière binoculars were Galilean binoculars, characterized by their simple design with convex objective lenses and concave eyepiece lenses. They were generally low-magnification (around 3-5x). 
 
A later French manufacturer and Paris based optician, Jacques Lemaire, produced optical goods including binoculars and opera glasses starting in 1847. This Paris-based optician ran a major manufacturing company in the 19th century, known for its mechanization and interchangeable parts. He produced binoculars with the Lemiere brand name. As Palais Royal was a famous historical theatre in France this name was added to the name of some binoculars.
 
Many of these opera binoculars that were adopted for military use, particularly during World War I. During World War I, the British army faced a shortage of binoculars and purchased large quantities of French-made binoculars, including those from Lumière. Although of low magnification they proved usefull in trence warfare where the enemy lines were in many instances not far away.
 
SIZE:
14.5CM LONG 65MM FRONT DIAMETER 40MM BACK DIAMETER
 
CONDITION: SOME AGED WEAR AND BAKELITE CRACKS. STILL FOCUSES AND WORKING SEE PHOTO.
 
LEMIERE BINOCULARS (1847-2009):
J.P. Lemiere, a French optician created an early version of modern binoculars in 1825. He was an individual inventor rather than a large corporation, and his workshop did not survive as a continuous company. A later French manufacturer and Paris based optician, Jacques Lemaire, produced optical goods including binoculars and opera glasses starting in 1847. This Paris-based optician ran a major manufacturing company in the 19th century, known for its mechanization and interchangeable parts. He produced binoculars with the Lemiere brand name. M.J.B. Baille joined the firm in 1871 and took charge in 1885. The history of that specific company beyond the 19th century is not publicly detailed. It is most likely that the company either ceased operations or was acquired by another firm sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. 
 
PALAIS ROYAL THEATRE:
The Palais Royal was built in 1639 for Cardinal Richelieu, who was the Chief Minister to Louis XIII. The Palais-Royal was a small private theare in the residence of Cardinal Richelieu. It opened, with the royal court attending  with a production of Jean Desmaretss Mirame in 1641. Following Richelieus death, the palace became royal property, and, as the Palais-Royal, the theatre was used for courtly entertainments. In 1660 the theatre was given to Molière and his troupe, who occupied it until the dramatist-actors death in 1673. Jean-Baptiste Lully requisitioned the Palais-Royal for his Royal Academy of Music, and it became the home for his opera productions. The theatre burned down in 1763 and was rebuilt, only to burn again in 1781. The entire area was then redeveloped into an amusement area by its owner, the Duke de Chartres. It contained a number of theatres, many called Palais-Royal at various times.
 
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