What fun it has been to inherit a collection of stereoview photo cards and the once popular Holmes Stereoscope Viewer. The photos (ca. 1890s-1900s) are mounted on thick cardboard in duplicate in order to give a 3-D effect when viewed in the stereoscope, but of course I can't show that here. What I DO hope to show is a glimpse into a brief period of history when families sat around at home being entertained by this fun pastime in place of television and radio. Think of the stereoscope viewer as the "ViewMaster" and 3-D glasses of their time.Some photos in the collection are of travel destinations, while others are simply small snapshots of day to day life. Another set pokes fun at life in what appears to be skits in a vaudeville show. They are the most entertaining of the collection. My mother viewed these in the 1920s and 30s and recalls taking turns with her four siblings under her mother's watchful eye.
Two final cards are missing in the following set, which I have labeled the "Apprentice Bags the Painter," but you can fill in the blanks. I hope the apprentice got what he deserved!
"The Industrious Painter and the Idle Apprentice."
"Now I will just drop this paper bag over his head."
"See him, will you? He can't set his board down and
he can't get his new cap off."
"Just by putting the broomstick between his
legs as he starts off". . .
Click here for list of Stereoviews in collection
Copyright 2013 © Sharon Himsl
[Gravseth family archive; 1906, Herman Knutzen]
Sharon M. Himsl
Writer/Author. Blogging since 2011.
Published with Evernight Teen:
~~The Shells of Mersing
Haha! I can imagine them in a 3D veiwer! And I think that apprentice will have definitely got a slap around the head for that.
ReplyDeleteHave a great A to Z month!
Rebecca, thank you for stopping by and very nice to meet you!
DeleteDay one of the A-Z and I'm already hooked. What fascinating images.
ReplyDeleteHi Sally. Glad you stopped by and enjoyed the stereoviews :) I'll be checking your site soon!
DeleteI loved my view master - thanks for providing a glimpse of a bygone era
ReplyDeleteThank you and I really appreciate the follow, Ida. I also enjoyed the message at your site today!
DeleteThese are really interesting! Maybe one of the last cards show the painter hitting the apprentice "upside his head" (as we say in the South) with the broom. :)
ReplyDeleteTaMara
Tales of a Pee Dee Mama
Ha-ha. He certainly deserves it, the rascal. Thank you for the follow TeMara! I'm going to pop on over to your blog and take a look.
DeleteThat's some inheritance. Quite sure the apprentice will get what he deserved! Enjoy the rest of the A-Z!
ReplyDeleteBoy oh boy. I inherited 69 cards....so stay tuned. Thanks for visiting! I'll be checking yours today, too:)
DeleteThese are great. I wish I had a viewer to look at them now.
ReplyDeleteThank you and nice of you to visit! This collection has been so much fun. Good luck in the a-z. I'm going to stop by yours next:)
DeleteWow. This is so much more than I was expecting. It's like ViewMaster, only cooler looking.
ReplyDeleteHi from Nagzilla bloghopping A to Z
Thank you Nagzilla! Isn't this fun? I'm checking out your blog next.
DeleteGreat! Never seen that before! I use to enjoy silent movies too! Sort of the same....figure things out....I think I would have put that broomstick someplace else if I was the painter! Ha ha But that is me! I think even back then, pranks were popular! www.sandysanderellasmusings.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm so glad you are enjoying this. It has dominated my life for over a month now. Thanks for the visit! I'm hopping over to your blog next :)
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Keep up the great writing.
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You're off to a great start! I'm playing hooky from the A-Z today, but will hopefully find time to "tune in" tonight.
ReplyDeleteHi, Cathy...Thanks for stopping by. Good luck in the agent search and sure loved your a-z post today!
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon. Very cool. I remember the view masters but didn't know about these. I hope the Apprentice got what he deserved too! God bless, Maria at Delight Directed Living
ReplyDeleteHi Maria! Good to hear from you. I'm checking your blog next!
ReplyDeleteI found that hilarious! I hope the apprentice gets what he deserves too! I love that you have those stereoscope images. What a neat thing to have in your collection.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rebecca. The Herman Knutzen ones (which these are) are the funniest. Really appreciate your visit and joining this blog. Love yours!
DeleteHi, really cool. Enjoyed the old photography. Lookinig forward to reading more this month.
ReplyDeleteMary Hill
Thank you, Mary. Nice to meet you:) Glad you could visit and also have enjoyed your blog!
DeleteI remember those viewers from way, way back, probably my grandmother's. I loved them when I was a kid, but I think most were scenery from around the world.
ReplyDeleteThere IS scenery in the collection, which I also plan to show. Just wanted to start with some of the funniest on Day 1. Thanks for stopping by, Patricia.
DeleteI'll have you know I've been waiting to find out what Stereoviews are since that time when we met... I'm satisfied with your description of them. I am now super envious of your treasure.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I think that apprentice was chopped into pieces to form a unique form of red, brown, and maybe even teal. How cruel of him!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed, Sopphey. The apprentice sure is a trouble maker, isn't he?
DeleteThese are so fantastic! What a great find :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Kate! Appreciate the visit and comment. I enjoyed your blog post today, too.
DeleteI love this idea for a theme! I think my dad had a stereoscope when I was younger, but I just remember it being in black and white. Great start to the Challenge!
ReplyDeleteThe majority are in black and white, and those are coming. But the colored ones are the most entertaining. Glad you could stop by, Danielle. Liked your post on airships today!
DeleteWhat a FUN Challenge idea, Sharon! I can't wait to see more!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kim. So good to hear from you!
DeleteWhat a delightful debut post for the Challenge! And now I am sitting here and chuckling at the image of the Master Painter with the bag over his head and his apprentice guffawing!
ReplyDeleteHa-ha. Glad you enjoyed,Diana. I'm so excited to share this collection. Appreciate your comment and also joining this blog!
DeleteFantastic idea, Sharon! So unique. I've learned something new today! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi Dawn. I couldn't believe what a find these were at first. Thanks for stopping by for the big a-z. I'm already enjoying your posts!
DeleteThis does bring back wonderful memories. You've chosen such a unique theme, and you're off to a great start at A to Z!
ReplyDeleteJulie
Hi Julie. Thanks for stopping by for the big a-z. Looking forward to your posts, but I think we're all going to be tired by the end of the month!
DeleteHow neat! Not something I've gotten to experience, but there are so many things I wish I had. I do hope the apprentice gets it. Unless, of course, we just don't know the back story, and the painter is a terrible person.
ReplyDeleteShannon at The Warrior Muse
Ha-ha. I didn't think of that way--the painter could be the bad guy. Thanks for commenting, Shannon, and also joining my site!
ReplyDeleteThis is so cute. I wish I could see them in real life.
ReplyDeleteActually, they look better online. All are pretty old and faded. But it is neat to hold them in your hands. Thanks for your comment, Miranda!
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome!! I'm a day behind. I was under the weather yesterday.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jai. Sorry you weren't feeling well. Glad to see you back!
ReplyDeleteHey Sharon, I'm out A-Z visiting and thought I would come see what you are up to. Very cool idea for the A-Z. I think the closest to the sterioview that I have had my hands on were the plastic viewmasters with the round cards with photo that we had as kids. Yours seem to be way more interesting.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Margot
My experience too as a girl, until receiving this collection. Thanks for stopping by Margot. Really enjoying your blog on women in the Bible!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun A to Z theme! It seems like my grandmother had some sort of a sterioview system. I may have to ask my Dad if he knows what happened to them. Enjoying your posts!
ReplyDeleteMarcy, Nice to meet you:) Hopping over to your blog next!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if someone else has the final cards for this set. It would be great if they contacted you and you could see what happened next.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea, Virginia. Thanks! I have thought to put this on Pinterest. Perhaps there would be a start, with more exposure to this series.
DeleteThe George Eastman House Still Photograph Archive had the last two cards online in the past.
ReplyDelete700 (e). "I cause quite a noticeable drop in paint"-
http://web.archive.org/web/20160623053104/http://geh.org/ne/mismi2/m198197500002_ful.html
700 (f). "And also produce a life-size oil painted portrait of my boss: then I skido."
http://web.archive.org/web/20160623075911/http://geh.org/ne/mismi2/m198197500003_ful.html
Just saw the University of Edinburgh is having an online course about stereoscope that starts March 20, 2017.
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/stereoscopy
Hello. Saw this late and interested in the links you gave. Might have to check that course out too. Thanks for commenting!
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