These days, there are many different types of binoculars for people to choose from and most are relatively easy to get hold of. However, there are certain versions that are particularly rare in nature.
For example, a pair of binoculars given to the captain of Titanic’s rescue ship recently went on sale on eBay, the Daily Mail reported.
The Titanic of Lancashire Museum in Colne placed the items, which used to belong to Captain Arthur Rostron, up for sale to help ease its financial pressures. The money generated from the sale will help to pay the museum’s bills.
Captain Rostron was at the helm of The Carpathia, which was responsible for rescuing a number of Titanic passengers after the vessel sank.
According to the Daily Mail, the eyeglasses were placed up for sale with a starting bid of $600 (£371).
Originally, the binoculars were presented to Captain Rostron by his friend Charles Allum to mark the tenth anniversary of the White Star liner’s demise.
While the sale of the binoculars may generate excitement among buyers, it has been a difficult process for the museum. Its curator Nigel Hampson said managers would “absolutely, categorically prefer not to sell the binoculars”, but they needed to in order to help cover expenses.
He added: “We do not want them to go. But we are between a rock and a hard place. Keeping the museum open costs money. All the staff – myself included – are unpaid volunteers, all monies made are put back into the museum… We fundraise as best as we can, but keeping the museum open and running fundraising events as well, is hard work which requires a lot of time and also help and support from the community.”
While sourcing one-off binoculars like Captain Rostron’s may not be easy, consumers should find it simple to access more widely available versions by heading online. Whether they are after bird watching binoculars or any other kind of product, they will have plenty of choice.