Mattey

The early years

André Elie Victor Mattey was born on 30 November 1844 in Paris. From later references, we know that he used Victor as his first name¹. He was the third child, and only son, of the jeweller Claude Edouard Mattey and Casimir Louise Flamand. Victor married Ernestine Martin on 21 September 1872. In the same year, he started his business and a year later their only child, Albert Georges, was born.

Little is known about the early years of Victor’s business. A reference from 1884 indicates that he was an optician³. The exact nature of the optics remains unclear, but given later developments he probably manufactured lenses for cameras and stereoscopes. The company was located at 117, rue Saint-Maur in Paris, which was also the residence of the Mattey couple. In 1898, the mentioned address was 119, rue Saint-Maur. Perhaps the business flourished to such an extent that additional or larger space for the workshop became necessary. A first patent related to the stereoscope was registered by Victor in 1899⁴.

Albert was presumably an apprentice in his father’s workshop, as his military registration from 1893 lists his profession as an optician⁵.

Wytenhove and Legendre

The origins of Mattey’s stereoscope business can be traced back to Auguste Wytenhove, who established a stereoscope workshop in 1894⁶. His workshop was located at 8, rue Pastourelle in Paris. Wytenhove’s catalogue featured an extensive range of stereoscopes and other viewers. In 1897, the business was continued by Auguste’s son, Gustave Joseph, although this continuation was short-lived, as the company was acquired in 1898 by Maison Legendre⁷. Legendre had his own stereoscope workshop and was Wytenhove’s neighbour, located at 10, rue Pastourelle⁸.

Following the acquisition, Legendre continued the business in Paris and also operated a workshop in the small town of Amel-sur-l’Étang in the Meuse department in northeastern France⁹. It is unclear whether this factory was part of the Wytenhove acquisition or that it was established by Legendre.

In 1899, Legendre introduced an important innovation: a revolving stereoscope equipped with an interchangeable chain and stereoview holders¹⁰. This feature made it easier to exchange stereoviews, or to store complete collections in different holders.

Mattey Père & Fils

Legendre sold his business to Victor and Albert Mattey in 1902¹¹. This acquisition coincided with the establishment of Société Mattey Père & Fils¹². The new company comprised Mattey’s existing optical workshop at 119, rue Saint-Maur, the acquired workshop of Legendre on rue Pastourelle, and the workshop in Amel-sur-l’Étang. In 1906, the Parisian workshops were consolidated and moved to 208, rue Saint-Maur¹³. The workshop in Amel became an important supplier. 25 people worked there in 1909¹⁴.

Mattey Père & Fils made a promising start. The company continued the product range of Wytenhove and Legendre but also introduced new designs. In 1903 and 1904, various new stereoscope designs were patented. Additionally, Legendre’s invention of the interchangeable holder was also patented, something that Legendre had apparently not deemed necessary. 

The patents led to the introduction of new stereoscopes such as Le Stéréotélescope (1903), Le Nain (1904) and the sophisticated Le Stéréothèque (1904) which was Mattey’s alternative to Jules Richard’s Taxiphote.

More acquisitions

From 1908 onwards, Mattey Père & Fils made three new acquisitions of Parisian companies. In June 1908, they purchased the stereoscope manufacturer Laurent¹⁵. Aside from its location at 52, rue du Faubourg du Temple, nothing is known about this company. The only information found is the mention of its acquisition by Mattey. The business was sold to Mattey by Laurent’s widow.

More is known about Fouquet, the next acquisition in the same year¹⁶. The company had a long history that began in 1834. From 1873, it was a manufacturer of stereoscopes and became a prominent enterprise in the stereoscope market. Following the death of the last owner, the business was sold to Mattey. 

The final acquisition of Mattey Père & Fils occurred in 1911, involving Maison Pennard¹⁷. This stereoscope manufacturer was established around 1901 and was located at 99, rue du Faubourg du Temple.

Following the initial acquisition of Legendre in 1902, Mattey already had a substantial product range. The later acquisitions were likely aimed at increasing market share. This ensured that Mattey could become one of the leading manufacturers of stereoscopes in France.

Trademarks

Mattey used several trademarks for selling their products. The trademarks were related to their acquisitions. The brand named 8&9, encapsulated in a diamond shape, was already used by Wytenhove and is visible on a stereoscope in Wytenhove’s 1894 catalogue. This brand was apparently continued by Legendre, which ultimately transferred it to Mattey. The acquisitions of Pennard and Fouquet merged into the brand P&F. The third trademark is shaped like a star. The origin of this mark is unclear, but it might be related to the acquisition of Laurent.

Today, the 8&9 mark can be found on revolving stereoscopes. P&F appears to have been used primarily for the company’s more exclusive stereoscopes. The star logo can be found on several Pantoscopes. However, many stereoscopes that were manufactured by Mattey do not bear any trademark, leaving their precise branding strategy ambiguous. The absence of names and marks makes it difficult to determine the exact origins of the stereoscopes. It is possible that stereoscopes that are attributed to Mattey were actually made and sold by the company’s predecessors.

Rebranding

Identifying the origins of stereoscopes becomes even more challenging because Mattey also manufactured stereoscopes for other companies, who sold the devices under their own brand names. Camera manufacturer Mackenstein developed his own stereoscopes, but also sold Mackenstein-branded stereoscopes that were made by Mattey. Mackenstein was already a customer of Legendre.

Similarly, camera manufacturer Lucien Leroy sold Mattey’s stereoscopes, and there is evidence that a stereoscope in the Leroy catalogue was specifically manufactured for Leroy by Mattey. In 1903, Leroy introduced the innovative Stéréo-Panoramique camera, which could take both stereo and panoramic photos. The following year, Le Stéréoscope Monocle was introduced; this device could view both stereo images and panoramic images. It was presented in the Leroy catalogue as Système Leroy, but the viewer has distinct design features that can be found found in Mattey stereoscopes, suggesting that Le Stéréoscope Monocle was exclusively manufactured for Leroy. This viewer is not found in Mattey’s own catalogues, but the panoramic lens of Le Stéréoscope Monocle was also used on hand-held stereoscopes that appeared in Mattey’s catalogue.

A similar example is the Educa stereoscope. Educa was a concept involving a stereoscope and special stereoviews for educational purposes sold by Établissements Educa. The stereoscope was exclusively manufactured by Mattey for the company, although the special stereoview format for this viewer was also used in a hand-held stereoscope that was sold by Mattey.

Stéréoscopes A. Mattey

Mattey Père & Fils was dissolved on 1 January 1912¹⁸, when Victor was 67 years old and probably chose to retire. The business was continued by Albert as Stéréoscopes A. Mattey. Under the management of Albert, the stereoscope business reached its greatest heights, and the company’s stereoscopes were exported abroad.

Albert married Louisa Boujat on 17 September 1898. Their first son, André Louis, was born on 8 June 1904, but tragically died a month later. A daughter followed, Alice Louise, who was born on 28 July 1907 and a year later, their son Pierre Emile was born on 4 November 1908.

The First World War

The outbreak of the First World War on 28 June 1914, and the subsequent mobilisation of French army on 1 August, significantly impacted Albert and his business. Having served voluntarily in the French army from 1893 to 1896, Albert was too old for active duty when the war began. However, he was called up to serve in the Armée territoriale, a unit of the French military made up of middle-aged men who provided support services to the active army, such as guarding and logistics. Throughout the war, Albert served in various units and, from 1917, he even voluntarily joined an active military unit¹⁹, suggesting his patriotic nature to serve his country. His military service inevitably must have limited his ability to manage his business effectively. 

The occupation of Amel-sur-l’Étang also severely affected the business. In August 1914, the village was occupied by the German army and was largely destroyed during the war, rendering Mattey’s workshop inoperative. Amel was liberated in 1918.

Despite the challenges, Stéréoscopes A. Mattey remained operational during the war. In 1915, a new catalogue was published, and like many other industries at the time, Mattey produced for the army. The First World War was the first conflict where aerial photography played a significant role, and stereoscopic images were particularly useful for identifying structures in the landscape.

In 1920, the British War Office made a request to exchange a collection of products used by the English army for French objects, aiming to establish a historical collection. Among the English items listed was a “Stéréoscope Mattey”, indicating the international recognition and utility of the company’s products during the war.

Unis France

The Unis France trademark was an initiative to guarantee the French origin of high-quality products made by various French companies. It was issued by the Union Nationale Inter-Syndicale des Marques Collectives, established during the war on 9 December 1915. Member companies received a unique number and could combine the Unis France mark with their own brand.

Mattey joined the initiative and was assigned number 3. A second number associated with the Unis France label indicated the product category. For Mattey, this number was 76, which corresponded to the category of stereoscopy and/or photography. By 1934, over 3,000 French industrialists were licensed to use the Unis France mark, including other stereoscope manufacturers such as Jules Richard. Unlike Richard, however, Mattey used the trademark very prominently on products from its range, sometimes combining it with one of Mattey’s own brands, such as P&F. The prominent use of the Unis France trademark by Mattey can perhaps be explained by Albert’s patriotic nature. The company continued to use the Unis France mark well after the Second World War, underlining its commitment to showcasing the French origin and quality of its products.

1920s

After the war, as normal life resumed, it was notably the war itself that had given a boost to stereoscopy in the 1920s. The popularity of stereoscopy meant that many soldiers had taken their stereo cameras to the battlefield. After the war, numerous publishers issued these photos as glass and paper card stereoviews. Mattey capitalised on the success of these war images. The company manufactured wooden cases for glass stereoviews, which included a simple Unis France labeled stereoscope.

The factory in Amel was rebuilt and in 1922, the (presumably) first post-war catalogue was published. Several new stereoscopes were introduced during this period, including Le Stéréoscope Monetaire (1922), Le Métascope (1926), L’Educa (1926), Le Stéréoscope Standard (1927), and Pôlnor (1929). The 1920s marked the heyday of Mattey’s stereoscope business.

1930s

The 1930s were marked by a decline in the popularity of stereoscopy. The 1929 stock market crash in New York, and the ensuing economic crisis, also affected Europe and likely contributed to the waning interest in stereophotography.

At the beginning of the 1930s, Mattey introduced the Simplex stereoscope and a 6 x 13 cm version of Le Nain, but no other designs followed in this decade. The company moved to a new location at 15, rue Clavel in June 1937. Mattey made another acquisition in October 1937, taking over the company of Jean Baptiste Couvreur, which specialised in carpentry and cabinet making. This marked a gradual shift in focus from manufacturing stereoscopes to producing woodwork.

The Second World War

The outbreak of the Second World War on 1 September 1939, and the rapid advance of German troops into France in May 1940, led to a significant displacement of people in northern France. This event, later known as The Exodus, saw large numbers of refugees moving south to escape the advancing German army. Albert and his family also fled from Paris. Tragically, Albert was severely injured during the escape and died on 15 June 1940 in a hospital in Bourges²⁰. A necrology published in the magazine Le Photographe on 5 October 1940 reads²¹:

We are saddened to announce the passing of Mr. Mattey, who was renowned for his work in the production of stereoscopes—an industry that held significant importance a few years ago due to the widespread enthusiasm for stereoscopy. Mr. Mattey suffered severe injuries during an exodus and later passed away at the Bourges hospital. A hard worker, a loyal man, a clever trader, Mr. Mattey had become a prominent figure in the field of stereoscopic viewing devices, a market that was once of great importance. In addition to his primary manufacturing activities, he expanded his business to include the production of specialised cabinetry for high-quality work at his modern factory on rue Clavel.

Mr. Mattey had been president of La Chambre syndicale des Industries et du Commerce photographiques, a position he only held for a short time, having resigned for personal reasons, but he was the technical advisor always listened to by his colleagues who all were friends to him. His death will cause deep regret. He is yet another senior figure in photography who disappears in tragic circumstances, which makes his disappearance even more distressing. We extend our deepest condolences to Mrs. Mattey and their children during this difficult time of mourning.

Revival

After the war, the Mattey business resumed operations in 1947 under the name Société des Anciens Établissements A. Mattey²². The company was reestablished by Albert’s children, Pierre and Alice, along with René André Sanner. Alice and Pierre probably grew up in the business and had developed skills that would enable them to continue the business after Albert’s death. On 18 April 1932 they both married on the same day²³:

Mr. Mattey, vice-president of the Chambre Syndicale des Industries et du Commerce Photographiques, one of our most active and sympathetic industrialists, specializing in the manufacture of stereoscopes, invited us to attend the weddings of his daughter Alice Mattey with Mr. Pierre Vanet and of his son Pierre Mattey with Mrs. Augustine Baudy. Unusually, the nuptial blessing was given on the same day, April 18, to the two charming couples, in the church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Belleville, in the midst of a large crowd that gathered in the evening at the magnificent reception given by the families to their many friends where Mr. and Mrs. Mattey, very happy with the happiness of their children, were warmly congratulated by all their friends in photography who had eagerly seized this opportunity to express to one of the oldest, although still young, industrialists in the corporation their feelings of sympathy and friendship, in which we join with the greatest pleasure. We extend to the young couple our best wishes for happiness.

Société des Anciens Établissements A. Mattey was managed by Pierre Mattey and Alice Mattey’s husband, Pierre Vanet. In 1948, a new catalogue was published, and notably, it still showcased a very extensive range of stereoscopes. The catalogue even included a series of new stereoscopes designed for studying aerial stereoviews.

On 1 January 1956, the company transitioned into a public limited company under the name A. Mattey S.A²⁴. This change marked a new phase in the company’s history, likely aiming to solidify its business structure and prepare for future growth and challenges in the post-war era.

The final years

As time progressed, the focus of A. Mattey S.A. shifted increasingly from stereoscopes towards wooden products, including deluxe humidors for storing cigars and other smoking supplies. The exact point at which the production of stereoscopes ceased remains unclear.

A report from a meeting in 1993 indicates that Alice Mattey and her daughter Colette Vanet were still active within the company at that time²⁵. However, the company closed its doors later that same year. The full legal dissolution of A. Mattey S.A. was completed in 1999, marking the end of an era for a company that had played a prominent role in the history of stereoscopy.

References

1. Paris-adresses : annuaire général de l’industrie et du commerce. p.1465 ↩︎
2. Barbe, C. Généalogie de Albert Georges Mattey. Via: gw.geneanet.org ↩︎
3. Bulletin / Société de protection des apprentis et des enfants des manufactures, p.299. ↩︎
4. Photo-gazette (25-11-1899)  ↩︎
5. Albert Georges Mattey, Registres matricules du recrutement (1887-1921) ↩︎
6. Archives commerciales de la France  (21-11-1894) ↩︎
7. La Nature  (28-05-1898) ↩︎
8. Photo-gazette (25-06-1898)  ↩︎
9. Photo-gazette (25-11-1899)  ↩︎
10. Fabre, C. (1902) A. du texte (1889) Traité encyclopédique de photographie. Troisième supplément , p. 361 ↩︎
11. L’Information photographique  (1902), p.47 ↩︎
12. L’Information photographique  (1902), p.80 ↩︎
13. L’Information photographique  (1906), p.309 ↩︎
14. Département de la Meuse : géographie physique, économique, historique et administrative (1909), p. 579 ↩︎
15. Archives commerciales de la France (06-05-1908) Gallica, p. 587 ↩︎
16. Archives commerciales de la France  (14-10-1908), p.1317 ↩︎
17. Archives commerciales de la France  (10-02-1911), p.189 ↩︎
18. Archives commerciales de la France  (17-04-1912), p.539. ↩︎
19. Albert Georges Mattey, Registres matricules du recrutement (1887-1921) ↩︎
20. Science et industries photographiques (01-08-1940), p.232 ↩︎
21. Le Photographe : organe des photographes professionnels (05-10-1940), p.5 ↩︎
22. Les Annonces de la Seine : journal officiel d’annonces judiciaires et légales (22-12-1946), p. 2784. ↩︎
23. Le Photographe : organe des photographes professionnels (05-05-1932), p. 186 ↩︎
24. Rapport Complet Officiel & Solvabilité, Society.com ↩︎
25. A. Mattey S.A. – Séance du 24 Juin 1993 ↩︎