This is an original Imperial Japanese Army storage case for a fixed machine-gun optical sight system, manufactured in December 1939.
An original metal identification plate remains attached to the front of the case. It is marked:
“Fixed Machine Gun Sight”
No. 1510
December, Showa 14 (1939)
Manufactured by Tokyo Kogaku Kikai Co., Ltd.
Tokyo Kogaku Kikai was established in 1932 as a Japanese optical manufacturer and became an important producer of military optical equipment. The company later developed into what is today known as TOPCON.
Of particular interest, the original equipment inventory label also survives inside the lid.
It lists the components originally stored in the case, including the main optical sight, sight mounting rings, rubber eyepiece, illumination equipment, battery tube, spare bulbs, and ring-type sight components.
This demonstrates that the case was not simply a general transport box, but a dedicated military storage case intended to hold and organize a complete optical sight system for a fixed machine gun.
The designation “fixed machine gun” suggests an application involving a weapon mounted in a fixed position, likely associated with military aircraft. However, the exact aircraft, weapon, and sight model have not been conclusively identified, so no specific model attribution is made here.
The large Japanese inscription on the top reads “Shojun Gankyo” (照準眼鏡), meaning “sighting telescope / optical sight.”
Several original-looking cylindrical components and related pieces remain inside the case. However, the principal optical sight itself appears to be missing. Please examine the photographs carefully for the exact contents and condition.
The case shows substantial age-related wear, including paint loss, scratches, stains, oxidation, and other signs of military use and long-term storage.
Despite its incomplete contents, the surviving dated manufacturer’s plate, serial number, original inventory label, military markings, and remaining components make this an interesting historical artifact from the early period of Japanese military aviation.
Manufactured in December 1939, during the Second Sino-Japanese War and nearly two years before Japan entered the Pacific War, it represents a surviving piece of pre-Pacific War Japanese military optical equipment.
Please note: The optical sight itself is not included. Only the case and the components shown in the photographs are included.
Price: $649
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Seller's other items: Imperial Japanese Store Kamikaze 神風 (Affiliate link)
Location: Tokyo, Japan
