Francis Vermeire, born 1964, studied automotive sciences at the University of Le Mans, France. Since 2000, he leads one of Belgium’s oldest and most reputable automobile conglomerates. In 2004 – and rather by accident – Francis bought his first 10 x 80 45° and immediately was fascinated by the subject. Fascination soon turned into a passion. Having collected 10 x 80 serial numbers and related illustrations since 2004 and with over 400 glasses in his collection, Francis not only became one of Europe’s finest optics collectors, but also an authority on this particular glass.

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Born in 1969, Peter De Laet studied general medicine at the University of Antwerp and pursued a career in elderly rehabilitation and psycho-geriatric disorders. His interest in fortification science and pre-1946 fire control systems resulted in him visiting military archives at the age of 15. In 2000 he found his first binocular – an S.F. 14 – while on holiday in France. This spurred him to specialise in collecting fire control related binoculars and combine research with collecting.