The Union Nationale des Combattants (UNC) started as an association of French veterans from the First World War. The association was founded on 11 November 1918 (Armistice Day) and was located at 13, Rue Lafayette, Paris1. The UNC represented the interests of French veterans and advocated for the improvement of the veterans’ pensions. The motto of the UNC was “Unis comme au Front” (United as at the Front). In 1919, the UNC published the weekly newspaper La Voix du Combattant (The voice of the Combatant).
From 1921, the association operated the seller service known as Service des Ventes de l’U.N.C (SDV)2. On 11 September 1927, the service started advertising the sale of war stereoviews in La Voix du Combattant3:
We hold at the disposal of our comrades a collection of very authentic and interesting stereoscopic views on glass in 45 x 107 or in 6 x 13 format that we can provide on very favourable terms.
The advertisements continued to appear weekly until February 19304. It is likely that SDV exclusively sold the stereoviews to its members, offering them at a reduced rate. The slides were manufactured by La Stéréoscopie Universelle (LSU).
An SDV catalogue lists 80 numbered series of 10 slides5. The highest serial number is 106, indicating that the total portfolio consists of almost 1100 slides. An SDV slide number is made up of the serial number followed by a number 0 to 9. Certain series were available in both 45 x 107 mm and 6 x 13 cm formats; others were only sold in the 45 x 107 mm format. Some slides were re-used LSU views, with a new SDV number added.
A 45 x 107 mm glass stereoview with LSU number 3038 and SDV number 18.
The slide is from SDV series 1 with the title Yser.
References
- Union Nationale des Combattants – Fondateurs et Historique. Via: unc.fr ↩︎
- First reference of SDV in La Voix du Combattant (11-09-1921). Via: gallica.bnf.fr ↩︎
- La Voix du Combattant (29-01-1927). Via: gallica.bnf.fr ↩︎
- La Voix du Combattant (22-02-1930). Via: gallica.bnf.fr ↩︎
- SDV Catalogue ↩︎