Constructed from heavy aluminum with a textured green paint finish, these binoculars were manufactured by Zeiss for use by commanders of "U-Boat" submarines of the German Kriegsmarine. This hat along with binoculars were purchased during the 60s/70s from the New London area, home to one of the Navy's largest submarine bases. Relatively few were made compared to binoculars for other branches of the Wehrmacht, and many ended their service life at the bottom of the Atlantic. Traditionally, in addition to the binoculars intended for general use, there would be a set of "kommandantenglas", a particular pair expressly intended for the use of the Commander of the boat, manufactured without external adjustments like on this pair. The rear of the right prism assembly is marked "8x60/49760/blc", with a black bakelite rear lens protector marked "Benutzer:" and dated "1944" attached to the left assembly with a thick rubber cord. Both lens bodies are fitted with a spanner wrench panel for inserting desiccant packets, and a set of flip-off metal and bakelite eye pieces. A near identical set of Zeiss commander's binoculars can be seen on page 319 of "Torpedo los!" by Williamson.

Excellent, with some light rubbing of the edges exposing some well aged metal and base paint. The optics are a bit hazy, but otherwise in good order, and the bakelite and rubber components are solid. They are perhaps the rarest of all WWII binoculars.