Members,
At an estate sale I found what appears to be an classic Carl Zeiss transit level with wooden box and tripod. I think it may be from the early forties (1940s).
The only thing that identifies it's pedigree is it has "CARL ZEISS JENA" with the label "NI.B" and I think a serial number of "Nr. 59530". As far as I can tell everything is working as should, and it has several attachments that I have no idea what they do. I was thinking of taking some pictures of it, but I don't know if they could be posted here. I do know a bit of the history of the original owner, he came to the United States from Germany just as the war broke out in Europe. So I'm thinking it might have come here at that time, but I'm not sure. He also could of obtained it at a later date here in the USA. Does anyone have any idea of what I have, and is it a collectors item or not?
Thanks for any help, Don
I know next to nothing about Zeiss. I have owned at least two Zeiss autolevels and although they were tremendous instruments, nobody local wanted to work on them.
I believe they are still in existence and I'm thinking you can contact them with a serial number and they can provide info from that. Dust up on you Deutsch.
In my memory, I don't think they placarded instruments with "Carl Zeiss / JENA" until after WWII.
Here's what that Zeiss level looks like.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Carl-Zeiss-Surveyor-Level-Nr-55267-high-accuracy-original-/271814851764
A specimen in good condition can be had for about 300 EUR (= 327 USD)
I have one. It's manufactured by the original Carl Zeiss factory which used to be in the Communist East Germany city of Jena. (That's where the best optical sand pits in the world are located.) It's a geodetic-quality tilting level with inverted image, but no optical micrometer. Mine came with a certificate signed by a U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant around 1945 that it was legally obtained during (or after) WWII. I got mine for $20 in mint condition about 20 years ago.
Good bookend.
Thanks for all the help,
I was hoping for more than a "Bookend", but I found out the apparent worth, and will see if I can find a place to display it!:-D
Don
Found this thread a little late... :-$
Here is a page in german language with lots of historical instruments from the manufacturer CARL ZEISS JENA.
Also found Your Level "Ni.B"
http://www.bau-popp.de/pages/carl-zeiss-jena/nivelliergeraete/ni-b-alu.php
Cliff Mugnier, post: 309294, member: 505 wrote: Mine came with a certificate signed by a U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant around 1945 that it was legally obtained during (or after) WWII.
I wonder how many of those "certificates" were issued? My dad has a bunch of stuff that was "legally obtained" by virtue of the fact that his unit had captured the towns, personnel and materiel therein during the push into Germany following the Battle of the Bulge. He even has a copy of a book on the unit history that was printed by a German print shop owner out of the goodness of his heart and the absence of any other practical choice.
Keep the level in its box and keep the box on its feet, do not store it n its side.
