Figure 1.--this American stereo card with albumen prints was entitled 'Highway Robbery'. Most of the stereo cards were what might be called educational or informative. There were also hmerous or fun cards like this one. Michevious children, almost always boys, like this one were a popular theme. And they provide useful fashion information at a time that photography was mostly studio portraits. The card is not dated, bt looks like the 1890s to us. The card here was from the Universal Photo Art Co.

Stereo photographs first appeared (1849). They quickly became popular in both popular in both Europe and only a few years later in Amrica (1850s). They were done on cards because early albumen photographic paper was so thin and fragil. A stereo photographic card was two photographs mounted side by side, shot by a special mera capturing an identical subject from t slightly different perspectives. The result was that when viewed through a 'stereoscope', a three dimensional view appeared. There were stereo daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, etc., but these are rare and did not prove popular. A standard card was important so that consumers only needed one stereoscope device. By the 1860s, a stereocope and collection of stereocards was a popular fixture in any Victorian parlor. This of course was before photolithgorphy. Phototographs could not be reproduced in books and magazines at the time, except through the expensive process of engraving. And of course there was no movies or television at the time the stereoscope appeared. Stereo photography began to fill a huge demand for views of the world and important figures from the rising, educated middle class. There were views on geographic featres, foreign countries ad peoples, cities, animals, history, industry, current affairs, and much more. There were also entertainnent, primarily set-piece jockes. A standard was michevious children, mostly boys of course. The infomative cards cards often came ith a text on the back providing background information on the image. Stereo photographic cards continued to be popular for a half century well into the 20th century. Although developed in Europe, because of the huge number of prosperous Amercans, the photographic record to a large extent is made up of cards produced by American companies. Only a few important companies were involved. The vast majority of stereoviews were mounted albumen prints. And the stereotype declined in popularity when lithography was perfectedand the movies appered. This seems to have satisfied the popular demand for images. This all occurred as silver nitate images began to replace albumen prints. Thus almost all sterocards are done with albumen prints.

Created: 12:31 AM 12/18/2017
Last updated: 12:31 AM 12/18/2017