An Impressive Stereo Viewer With An Interesting Provenance
The device pictured above was acquired from the Jack Naylor collection. After he passed, much of his collection was turned over to an Austrian auction house. The device was bulky and broken, and the auctioneer wouldn’t ship it to Europe with the rest of the collection. It was slated to be thrown out.
PHSNE member Lew Regelman was present at the time, and he rescued it from the dumpster. He took it home, repaired it, and has enjoyed it as part of his own collection since then. An article in the 1995 PHSNE Journal, titled “New Stereo Viewer” described it as follows: “This 60-inch high stereo card viewer in the Naylor collection is a hands-on device that visitors enjoy. It holds 20 stereographs on a rotating drum actuated by moving the knob back and forth. The white button on front must be pushed and held to turn on the interior light. The steps [not shown in photo]? For the kiddies, of course. The viewer was designed and built by Arthur F. March, Jr. of New Hampshire.”
The photo attached to the 1995 Journal article shows small wooden steps under the device, obviously intended to let children step up to the viewer. The steps were lost before Regelman came into possession of the device.
~ Photos by Kazz Regelman
An Unidentified Woman: Can You Help A Reader Identify Her?
A reader sent a request to snap shots for help identifying a family member in an old photo found at his grandmother’s house.
“I’m trying to identify the family member within the photo by dating when it was taken and possibly even the photography studio by trying to decipher the embossed words on the corner of the photo.”
It seems clear from the embossed information that the studio was located in Boston, possibly on Tremont St. The rest is difficult to decipher. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Please send an email to snapshots@phsne.org, and it will be passed along to the person who inquired.
Closeup of the embossed mat with address and illegible photographer’s stamp
A Correction
This photograph appeared in the November 2022 snap shots with incorrect attribution. The photograph was taken by Rob Niederman who has the camera in his collection http://antiquewoodcameras.com
You can read more about the cameras at Early Multiple Lens Wood & Brass Field Cameras | Collectors Weekly
What the heck…
Are Those Even Cameras?!
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