A deluxe Mackenstein hand-held stereoscope with a burr walnut finish for 8,5x17cm stereoviews. The viewer is suitable for paper card stereoviews and glass slides. The lenses can be focussed and the distance between the lenses is adjustable. It emphasises the luxury of the viewer, because interocular adjustment is not a common feature for hand-held viewers.… Continue reading Mackenstein hand-held stereoscope
Category: Stereoscopes
Stéréo-classeur Hemdé – Série II
The Stéréo-classeur Série II is a stereoscope for 6x13cm glass stereoviews, manufactured by Hemdé from Lille. The Série II stereoscopes were intended for stereo formats larger than 45x107mm. In addition to 6x13cm, the devices were also available in the formats 8,5x17cm, 7x15cm, 9x14cm and 10x15cm[1]. The last three formats are remarkable because these stereoview formats… Continue reading Stéréo-classeur Hemdé – Série II
Smith, Beck & Beck book stereoscope
The Smith, Beck & Beck book stereoscope is based on Joseph Beck’s patent of 1859. It’s designed for viewing stereocards and stereoscopic images that are mounted in a book. The stereoscope was very successful and around 3000 devices were produced until c.1890. It’s probably the most complete book stereoscope ever produced. The two prismatic achromatic… Continue reading Smith, Beck & Beck book stereoscope
Smith, Beck & Beck table-top stereoscope
A table-top stereoscope. manufactured by Smith, Beck & Beck from London. It’s designed for viewing stereocards and glass stereoviews. At first glance, this stereoscope looks like a multi viewer, but in fact it has more in common with a handheld stereoscope mounted on a base plate. The base plate folds into its storage box which… Continue reading Smith, Beck & Beck table-top stereoscope
Zeiss Jena Verant
The Verant is a stereoscope that supports multiple stereoview formats.The stereoscope has a solid metal construction and is manufactured by Carl Zeiss from Jena. Zeiss Jena (not to be confused with Zeiss Ikon) developed various models of the Verant over the years. An early model supports 9x15cm stereoviews and was manufactured from c. 1905. It… Continue reading Zeiss Jena Verant
Stéréo-classeur Hemdé – Série I
The Hemdé Serie I is a table-top stereoscope for viewing 45x107mm glass stereoviews. The device has a mahogany finish and consists of two parts: a viewer and a cabinet for storing slide trays with stereoviews. There is room for 12 slide trays to store a total of 300 stereoviews. The front shows the Hemdé logo and a… Continue reading Stéréo-classeur Hemdé – Série I
Le Polyphote
Le Polyphote looks more like a common multiple view stereoscope than Lucien Bize’s other designs Minimus and Multiphote. A 1910 advertisement[1] lists the Polyphote as a new device, so it’s assumed that this is the year of its introduction. The device was available for 45x107mm and 6x13cm glass stereoviews. The viewer uses a slide tray for 25 slides.… Continue reading Le Polyphote
Le Multiphote
The Multiphote is designed by Lucien Bize and introduced in 1908[1]. It’s a further development of the Minimus and adds a slide-tray to place and catch the slides. It’s a slightly bigger device compared to the Minimus, but it simplifies replacing the slides. Multiphotes were manufactured for the 45x107mm and 6x13mm format. The top cover of the… Continue reading Le Multiphote
Le Minimus
Le Minimus was patented by Lucien Bize and Simeon Louis Claparede in 1907[1]. The device was announced a year later, together with the Phoenix (or Phénix) and the more advanced Multiphote[2]. The Minimus was introduced for the glass stereoview formats 45x107mm and 6x13cm. The Minimus doesn’t have an advanced mechanism and was therefore compact and… Continue reading Le Minimus
L’Omnium
The design for the Omnium was Lucien Bize’s first patent and dates from 1904[1]. It’s a simple folding stereoscope for paper card stereoviews. There were also models with a frosted glass to view glass stereoviews. The viewer comes with its original burgundy coloured box. The viewer is collapsible and the handgrip can be unscrewed from… Continue reading L’Omnium