Wednesday 18 November 2015

High Aims from the old GDR - 9 year old optical engineers.






Not a Leica item but impossible to resist in a local Charity shop was this East German Optical kit marked suitable for 9 year olds.I wonder how it got into the UK with its German language instructions. Many well made parts largely in plastic and seemingly complete.However the box illustrates the 'toys' one can make but on turning to the instruction book I was reminded of 'A' level Physics of 56 years ago.All good stuff but probably more use to our present day students of 18 than  9 year olds, It all brings back thoughts of the East German Optical industry that is no more.

2 comments:

  1. Old post, I know... but is there something similar to this in present times? All I can find are either dumb down toys or super expensive lab kits. I'd like to give to my kids something similar...
    That was a brilliant kit that the 9 years old me used extensively (and not only with the experiments in the book). But all that is remaining from my kit are the two large convergent lenses that were used for the binoculars - the rest is lost to time.

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    1. Thank you for your interest-I get few comments and it is appreciated. This particular kit went to my grandson. I was impressed by the advanced teaching in some of the kit and how it went far further into theory than any of the modern electronic toys! I guess that it is long out of production.

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