Recently in Family History Category
Newsflash: I am now the proud owner of a pair of binoculars made by the Bela Hatschek optical company in Budapest, Hungary.
Bela Hatschek was my great-grandfather on my mother's side whom I have mentioned in some of my work, particularly in a Tommywood column "Budapest in LA" which appeared in 2003. As you may wonder how it is that I just came in to possession of these binoculars here's the story.
On December 31, 2005 I received an email from a Bill Kearney saying that he had read my article that mentioned Bela Hatschek and wondered if Hatschek might have manufactured binoculars as he had a set that listed the manufacturer as Bela Hatschek of Budapest.
I replied that it was indeed possible as my great-grandfather was an opthamologist and had a factory that made glass eyes. It might have been from his era, or perhaps from that of his son Hugo who continued running the factory after Bela Hatschek died in 1922. At that point I wondered where Mr. Kearney had acquired the binoculars and asked whether he thought I might also be able to find a pair. In any event, I thanked him for contacting me.
I went on Ebay and tried to locate a pair, and tried several collector's sites, all to no avail.
Several months ago (OK, many, many months ago), I was asked by Janos Kobanyai, the editor of the Hungarian Literary Journal Mult es Jovo to write an article about my great-grandfather, who was also celebrated as the first man in Hungary to own a car, an 1894 Benz.
Recently, I finally started to write the article and recalled the email regarding the Bela Hatschek binoculars. I emailed Mr. Kearney and asked if he would consider selling me the binoculars. He replied that he would.
After several emails back and forth, we arrived at a price and I sent Mr. Kearney my address and other relevant info.
I had imagined that Bill Kearney lived somewhere in the Mid-West and collected antique binoculars and other eye wear because he, too, perhaps was an eye doctor or sold eyewear.
Kearney emailed me to say that based on my info saying I lived in Santa Monica, I might want to pick up the binoculars in person and save the shipping and handling charges. He lived in Hollywood.
What a strange coincidence that was! Of all the places in the world to find a small piece of family history, it was right in my backyard (metaphorically speaking).
We arranged to meet this Sunday afternoon. Mr. Kearney lives in a small house near West Hollywood and it turns out he is quite young and collects antique military binoculars. He showed me a pair of French army binoculars he owned. He guessed that the Hatschek Bela binoculars were World War One vintage.
The binoculars actually work. They have a compass built into the front and leather gros grain is wrapped about the cylinders.
The binoculars came with a leather case, lined with red silk inside. Inside the lid was the name "Bela Hatschek" and below it "Lat es Muszeresz Budapest" along with the address "2, Vaci Utca." Vaci Utca is Budapest's famous shopping the street, The Rodeo Drive or 5th Avenue of Budapest, if you will. My guess is that my great-grandfather may have had a retail operation on Vaci Utca selling his optical products.
Anyhow, consider it just more research for my article.
Bela Hatschek was my great-grandfather on my mother's side whom I have mentioned in some of my work, particularly in a Tommywood column "Budapest in LA" which appeared in 2003. As you may wonder how it is that I just came in to possession of these binoculars here's the story.On December 31, 2005 I received an email from a Bill Kearney saying that he had read my article that mentioned Bela Hatschek and wondered if Hatschek might have manufactured binoculars as he had a set that listed the manufacturer as Bela Hatschek of Budapest.
I replied that it was indeed possible as my great-grandfather was an opthamologist and had a factory that made glass eyes. It might have been from his era, or perhaps from that of his son Hugo who continued running the factory after Bela Hatschek died in 1922. At that point I wondered where Mr. Kearney had acquired the binoculars and asked whether he thought I might also be able to find a pair. In any event, I thanked him for contacting me.
I went on Ebay and tried to locate a pair, and tried several collector's sites, all to no avail.
Several months ago (OK, many, many months ago), I was asked by Janos Kobanyai, the editor of the Hungarian Literary Journal Mult es Jovo to write an article about my great-grandfather, who was also celebrated as the first man in Hungary to own a car, an 1894 Benz.
Recently, I finally started to write the article and recalled the email regarding the Bela Hatschek binoculars. I emailed Mr. Kearney and asked if he would consider selling me the binoculars. He replied that he would.
After several emails back and forth, we arrived at a price and I sent Mr. Kearney my address and other relevant info.
I had imagined that Bill Kearney lived somewhere in the Mid-West and collected antique binoculars and other eye wear because he, too, perhaps was an eye doctor or sold eyewear.
Kearney emailed me to say that based on my info saying I lived in Santa Monica, I might want to pick up the binoculars in person and save the shipping and handling charges. He lived in Hollywood.
What a strange coincidence that was! Of all the places in the world to find a small piece of family history, it was right in my backyard (metaphorically speaking).
We arranged to meet this Sunday afternoon. Mr. Kearney lives in a small house near West Hollywood and it turns out he is quite young and collects antique military binoculars. He showed me a pair of French army binoculars he owned. He guessed that the Hatschek Bela binoculars were World War One vintage.
The binoculars actually work. They have a compass built into the front and leather gros grain is wrapped about the cylinders.
The binoculars came with a leather case, lined with red silk inside. Inside the lid was the name "Bela Hatschek" and below it "Lat es Muszeresz Budapest" along with the address "2, Vaci Utca." Vaci Utca is Budapest's famous shopping the street, The Rodeo Drive or 5th Avenue of Budapest, if you will. My guess is that my great-grandfather may have had a retail operation on Vaci Utca selling his optical products.
Anyhow, consider it just more research for my article.
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