Le Merveilleux Stéréo Mobile is a basic and compact wooden stereoscope for paper stereoviews. The viewer was designed by Ernest Louis Désiré Le Deley (1859-1917). Le Deley was a Parisian publisher of postcards, photo albums and stereoviews. He designed and patented Le Merveilleux for the 9 x 14 cm paper card stereoviews he published.
The stereoscope consists of a wooden box. The lid contains a wooden block with grooves in which a stereo card can be placed. When the lid is slid open, the panel with the lenses can be unfolded. By sliding the lid, the focus of the lenses can be adjusted. The two square lenses are surrounded by metal frames that serve only as decoration.
The name of the viewer and the initials E.L.D. of Le Deley are engraved in the bottom plate. However, the lid also contains a second name: Julien Damoy.
Julien Damoy
Jean-Baptiste Julien Damoy (1844–1941)1 was a French grocer. In 1889, he opened a large grocery store at 31, Boulevard de Sébastopol in Paris. In the years that followed, his grocery business expanded with new factories and stores.
9 x 14 cm postcard by Ernest Le Deley (ELD)
In 1904, Damoy launched a clever marketing campaign. When buying 500 grams of chocolate from Damoy’s brands La Tasse or Le Select, the customer received a free 9 x 14 cm paper card stereoview and a coupon. With the coupons the customer could save up for a stereoscope2. The stereoviews and stereoscope were supplied by Le Deley, but were rebranded Damoy. In addition to Le Merveilleux, customers could also save up for the Omnium stereoscope, which was also labeled Damoy.
Damoy offered albums in which the stereoviews could be stored. The last page contains an overview of all series and stereoviews, an encouragement for the serious collector. The total collection consisted of 12 series of 24 stereoviews and 1 series of 12 stereoviews.
Specifications Le Merveilleux
| Manufacturer: | Ernest Le Deley (E.L.D.) |
| Year of introduction: | 1902 |
| Year of manufacture: | c. 1904 |
| Type: | Hand-held |
| Viewer: | Single-view |
| Serial number: | None |
| Stereoview support: | Paper |
| Stereoview format: | 9 x 14 cm |
| Lens focussing: | Yes |
| Inter-ocular adjustment: | No |
| Eyepiece blinders: | No |
| Dimensions (L x W x H): | 16 x 11.5 x 2.5 cm (folded), 10.5 cm height when unfolded. |
| Construction: | Wood |
Patent
| Number: | FR3244373 |
| Title: | Appareil stéréoscopique perfectionné dénommé “stéréo-mobile le merveilleux” |
| Filing date: | 28-08-1902 |
| Publishing date: | 01-04-1903 |
| Applicant(s): | Ernest Louis Désiré Le Deley |
Glossary: hand-held / inter-ocular adjustment / single-view
References
- Julien Damoy via fr.wikipedia.org ↩︎
- L’Écho du Nord, 24-03-1904. Via: gallica.bnf.fr ↩︎
- Le Deley (1902) Appareil stéréoscopique perfectionné dénommé “stéréo-mobile le merveilleux” via: data.inpi.fr ↩︎