Japanese Cased Binoculars-The dark brown pebbled leatherette material is missing from one side of these binoculars. These are the “EK” 7 x 71 and are well marked. The optics are dirty, and we have not attempted to clean them. The right side of the set has a loose objective lens holder. The strap is missing on this example. There is a brown canvas case that comes with this set of binoculars, it appears to have had some kanji scratched into the front of the case. There is also a name which is written on the inside cover of this case. The clasp for enclosure is missing but the top cover retains its clip, as well as its brown canvas straps. Good only overall condition.
This is part of the Charles Spilman collection, who brought these home from the Pacific theater where he was an embedded reporter. War Correspondent Charles H. Spilman, worked at the Providence Journal-Bulletin for over 42 years and had quite the storied career. He joined the newspapers in 1932 as a printer and became a reporter two years later. He retired in 1974. During his career there, he oversaw the reporters oversaw reporters and journalists and was instrumental in winning the newspaper its Pulitzer. It was the first time an entire newspaper staff was honored with a Pulitzer. During World War II, Spilman was a war correspondent in the Southwest Pacific and was “embedded” with the 43rd Division in the pacific, and sent dispatches home from New Guinea and the Philippines. After the war, he returned safely to Rhode Island to continue his life, and actually went back to Asia in 1967 and covered operations in Vietnam when the war was in an early phase. Charles passed away in Rhode Island in April of 1981, at the age of 70.