Émile Guérin continued the business of Lucien Leroy, the renowned designer and manufacturer of popular stereo cameras in the early 20th century. Guérin introduced a compact tray-based stereoscope with an innovative mechanism, which is a rare find these days.
Émile Félix Justin Guérin was born on 1 February 1880, in Foix, in the French Pyrenees. His mother was Hélène Guérin (1854–1917). His father is unknown. According to Guérin’s descendants, his father might have been a Russian nobleman who had a brief relationship with Guérin’s mother but refused to acknowledge the child after she became pregnant1.
Courtesy of X. Léger
Guérin voluntarily enlisted in the French army in 1897. He served in the engineering corps and rose to the rank of captain. During World War I, he was seriously wounded during the Battle of Verdun. He would suffer from his injuries for the rest of his life2. For his bravery, he was awarded the Croix de Guerre and he became Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur. His awards were mentioned in the bulletin of the Société française de photographie of 1 February 1920, of which he was a member:
Mr. GUÉRIN (Émile-Félix-Justin), captain commanding the 19-02 Engineer Company, was appointed to the Order of the Légion d’Honneur in the rank of Chevalier:
“Have shown, in all circumstances, fine qualities of activity, courage and energy. Particularly distinguished himself by directing with composure, since 1 June 1916, particularly dangerous work in an important sector. Seriously wounded, on 13 August 1916, during a perilous reconnaissance. Already mentioned in orders.”
(This appointment includes the award of the Croix de Guerre with palm.)
Signed: J. JOFFRE.
Guérin started his company in 1920. Guérin Émile & Cie was located at 109, rue du Bac in Paris. In the same year, he acquired the business of Lucien Leroy. The collaboration between Leroy and Guérin probably started before the war, as Leroy’s 1916–1917 catalogue states: GUERIN et LEROY. The acquisition included Leroy’s patents, but Guérin was also allowed to continue using the Leroy brandname, which was already well established in the field of stereo cameras in France.
Guérin made a start with new products and he made improvements to existing Leroy cameras. In 1921, Guérin introduced the compact and innovative Stéréo-Classeur Leroy stereoscope, followed by the Minimus Leroy camera a year later. In 1923, he patented an improvement to the Stéréo-Panoramique camera.
Le Furet was a compact (non-stereo) camera for 35 mm roll film. The camera was based on a design by Georges Maroniez and was introduced in 1925.
In 1927, Guérin entered into a partnership with Claude Pingault. However, E. Guérin, C. Pingault & Cie was dissolved already in 1929, after which Guérin continued his business independently again.
Guérin’s company went bankrupt in 1933. The economic crisis of the 1930s, combined with a decline in interest in stereoscopy, might have ended his business. His Légion d’Honneur title was temporarily suspended due to his bankruptcy. He was rehabilitated in 1937.
From around 1935, the business activities were continued by S.I.P.O.S. (Société d’Instruments de Précision et d’Optique Scientifique), which advertised itself as Ancienne Établissements Leroy-Guérin. This company closed its doors in 1938, marking the end of the stereoscopic products of Guérin, Leroy, and their predecessors.
Émile Guérin passed away on 7 April 1949, in Montluçon, France.
Courtesy of X. Léger