Stereophotography From The ROSPHOTO Collection 

History of the Stereoscope

A stereoscope is an optical device designed for viewing photographic images known as stereopairs. The principle behind the stereoscope relies on a feature of human vision — binocular perception, the ability to merge two slightly different images, received by the left and right eyes, into a single three-dimensional picture. Essentially, the device presents two photographs of the same subject taken from slightly different viewpoints, one for each eye. Because each eye perceives the object from its own angle, the viewed image appears three-dimensional. 

The first prototype of the stereoscope was invented in the 1820s by Mr. Elliott, a mathematics teacher from Edinburgh. Intended primarily for hand-drawn landscapes on transparent film, it consisted of a box slightly over 45 centimeters long, 18 centimeters wide, and 10 centimeters high, in which the image was observed through a slit in an internal divider.

In 1832, an English physicist, Charles Wheatstone, invented a stereoscope of a different design. He presented his discovery to King’s College London in 1838. Wheatstone’s device used a pair of mirrors set at 45° angles to the observer’s eyes, each reflecting an image positioned to the side. Both instruments appeared before the invention of photography and were meant for viewing drawings. And although Louis Daguerre in France and William Fox Talbot in England introduced their photographic processes the very next year, the stereoscope had to wait almost fifteen more years before becoming an indispensable part of leisurely pastime.

“A two-dimensional drawing, painting, or daguerreotype is placed into the projector and viewed simultaneously with both eyes through an optical glass. Owing to an optical illusion, the drawing or picture acquires depth and height, presenting you with the most accurate possible image of reality. The effect is particularly remarkable in views of landscapes and architectural monuments,”

— reported the French journal Revue des Deux Mondes.

The true history of three-dimensional photography began with the London International Exhibition of 1851, where the English physicist and professor at the University of Edinburgh, David Brewster, presented Queen Victoria with a stereoscope of his own design along with several images. Brewster used lenses rather than mirrors to combine the images, which allowed him to reduce the size of the device and create portable instruments that became known as Brewster stereoscopes.

The early 1850s saw the emergence of photographic processes that made it possible to produce prints on paper and glass. Unlike daguerreotypes, which had dominated until then,  these new technologies enabled photographers to create multiple copies from a single negative. This allowed them to move away from producing unique images for individual clients and turn instead to mass production of identical prints for wide distribution. For stereophotography, this meant, above all, the appearance on the market of “three-dimensional” views of landscapes and landmarks from various countries. These “virtual travels” quickly became part of everyday life for city dwellers in France, Britain, Germany, and other developed nations of Europe and America.

“In this season of influenza and colds, these charming stereoscopic views, allowing you to make delightful journeys around the globe while sitting by one’s own fireplace, — are worth a hundred bitter lozenges,”

— wrote the French newspaper La Lumière in 1858.

By the nineteenth century, boxes filled with stereographic views could be found everywhere — at Russian fairs, in American parlors, and in French cafés.

In 1861, the American Oliver Wendell Holmes invented, and Joseph Bates manufactured, a portable and far more economical form of the stereoscope. The Holmes–Bates stereoscope consisted of a wooden holder with prismatic eyepieces, a facial hood, and a mount for the stereocard, all connected by an adjustable sliding bar. Because the stereocard mount could be moved along the bar, the device could be easily adjusted for viewers with imperfect eyesight. Its light weight made it possible to hold the stereoscope in one hand, for which a special folding handle was provided.

New stereoscopic collections appeared one after another, and the models themselves steadily evolved. Viewing stereoscopic images became a favorite pastime in many households. This enthusiasm went through several waves of popularity — in the 1850s and again in the 1930s.

Today, modern three-dimensional stereoscopes are used in business, medicine, and many other fields. Stereoscopes are also sold as souvenirs, often purchased as gifts.

Brewster Stereoscope. 1870s. ROSPHOTO

David Brewster, the inventor of the kaleidoscope, brought together the possibilities of the stereoscope and photography. He not only improved the design of the stereoscope but also invented a photographic camera specifically for producing stereoscopic images.

Holmes–Bates Stereoscope. After 1861. ROSPHOTO

In 1861, Oliver Wendell Holmes,  a physician known for his innovative contributions to medicine, as well as a writer and poet, designed a new, improved, and inexpensive stereoscope. This type of stereoscope became extremely popular and was sold from the mid-1860s until 1939. It was the most mass-produced stereoscope model, and even today it is still manufactured in small quantities by some companies as a retro souvenir.

Holmes–Bates Stereoscope. “Underwood & Underwood.” After 1901. ROSPHOTO

The company Underwood & Underwood was the largest producer and distributor of stereoscopic images and stereoscopes up until the 1920s.

Folding Stereographoscope. Frederick James Cox. 1866–1882. ROSPHOTO

The graphoscope was a 19th-century device used in salons to enhance the viewing of photographs and text, and it was often combined with a stereoscope. The first stereographoscope was patented in England on February 1, 1864, by Charles John Rowsell.

It featured a large magnifying lens for viewing standard photographs and two stereo lenses for viewing stereoscopic images on paper. The addition of stereo lenses was most likely driven by the immense popularity of stereophotography in the 1850s and 1860s. England, Europe, and the United States were the main producers of graphoscopes, and over the course of 30–40 years an extraordinary number of these devices were manufactured and sold.

Saint Petersburg

This selection includes stereoviews of Saint Petersburg from the 1890s to the early 1910s from the ROSPHOTO collection. The stereoscopic images were created by the St. Petersburg photographer Mechislav Belyavsky and the American publisher Underwood & Underwood. Belyavsky produced several series of stereophotographs and was one of the few photographers granted permission to photograph and publish stereoscopic images of the interior views of the Imperial Hermitage.

Moscow

This selection features stereoviews of Moscow from the mid-1880s to the early 1910s, drawn from the ROSPHOTO collection. The stereoscopic images were produced by renowned German and American publishers specializing in stereoscopes and stereophotography, including Konrad A. Müller & Co., the Neue Photographische Gesellschaft, Underwood & Underwood, H. C. White & Co., among others.