Yeoman's in the Fork Blog

Here at Yeoman's, we not only carry a variety of rare books, we also have a large inventory of ephemera, including stereoviews, which some may be unaware of. So for those that may be wondering what exactly a stereoview is and when they were popular, etc., read on!

What is a stereoview?

Stereoviews (also known as stereo views, stereographs, 3-D views, stereopticon cards, stereoscope views, and others) are pictures taken by means of a camera with two lenses. This provides two separate pictures 2.5 inches apart, about the distance between the eyes. Although the pictures appear the same, they are not. When looked at in a viewer, which has prismatic lenses, your eyes will blend the two views into one and the brain perceives it in three dimensions the same as normal vision.

When did stereoviews become part of our culture?

Stereoviews became popular in the late 1800s as a form of entertainment. Before there were photographs in newspapers or magazines, people would pass around a stereo viewer and look at these cheap photographs (which simulated a three dimensional view) as a social activity. In general they tended to be views, plus some portraits of comic scenes. At one time the stereoscope and view cards were found in every American home. From 1850 until World War I, the stereoscope allowed our forefathers to visit every corner of America and the world. It is estimated that by the mid eighteen-fifties over a million homes owned one. The London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company came into being in 1850 and continued for some seventy years. Their output was colossal; they listed over a hundred thousand stereo photographs in their 1858 catalogue. The most famous and successful company was Keystone View Company of Meadville, Pennsylvania.

What happened to them?

Rapid transportation, radio, movies and other forms of entertainment created the demise of the stereoview and by 1920 only one company survived. Today, they are collectible items that provide a 3-dimensional view of the world during that time.

What are the most valuable stereoviews?

Tens of thousands of stereoviews were made at their peak of popularity between 1860 and 1920. An expert appraiser might think a stereoview is worth only $20, but if it has a picture of a Chicago Cubs baseball game, a collector of Cubs memorabilia might be willing to pay $40, someone who was at the game might be willing to pay $80, and someone who's father is playing second base might be willing to pay $200. Hence, its value is $200, and there is no way an appraiser can predict this. Photos by famous photographers such as Muybridge or William Henry Jackson are usually more desirable than images by the talented but anonymous shooters at Keystone.

Michelle Peppard, Online Sales Lead and Assistant Cataloger

Categoried under:  Rare Collectibles