Classical and Museum Views

Almost the first use to which stereoscopic photography was put was recording museum works of art. Fine photographers, for example Roger Fenton, William England, Charles E. Goodman and T.R. Williams, were employed by the British Museum and others to provide a three dimensional record of their exhibits. Therefore most of the views on these pages date from the 1850s and are of very high quality as regards lighting, presentation and processing.
Many of the works illustrate the nude female form - the only socially acceptable method of viewing in Victorian times. This had unfortunate repercussions in the case of John Ruskin who, having been brought up on classical statuary, was horrified on his wedding night to discover that his wife, on disrobing, sported hair on places other than her head. He never consummated his marriage to Effie Gray and, when she sought an annulment, forced her to undergo a humiliating intimate medical examination before a number of doctors to prove her case. She found solace in the arms of the artist Millais, married him and bore him eight children, so they definately consummated theirs!
 

Please note: There are many grey and blue mount views dating from the 1850s in these pages. Unlike most views from this period, the majority are in near perfect condition. The reason for this is simple - kids had no interest in them!
 


Fisher, New York. 'Exposition Universelle de 1867. Galerie des Beaux-Arts. Section Italienne'.
Condition. There is a clever bit of repair to the right of the left image. My nasty suspicious mind thinks this was a crack in the original neg. as it extends exactly to the bottom of the caption and not to the bottom of the mount; the view has probably been pirated and a good attempt to hide the original crack made on the print. A lot of work for not a lot of result as they would have had to do it on every print but interesting as I have never seen it before. Also a slight paper deposit on the plinth in the right image.
Order #131.
Price $8.
 


Fisher, New York. 'Exposition Universelle de 1867. Galerie des Beaux-Arts. Section Italienne'.
Condition 10.
Order #132.
Price $10.
 


'Struggle for the Heart by Fiaminga'.
Condition. Very slight crease in center.
Order #137.
Price $8.
 


Untitled blue mount version of Struggle for the Heart by Fiaminga.
Condition 10.
Order #138.
Price $12.
 


Untitled version of Struggle for the Heart by Fiaminga from a different angle.
Condition 8.
Order #139.
Price $8.
 


'Puck. From the original model in the Exhibition. 1851'.
Condition 8.
Order #140.
Price $10.
 


'Burns Cottage Children'. London Stereo blindstamp. Late 1850s version.
Condition 8.
Order #141.
Price $8.
 


'Cottage Children'. London Stereo blindstamp. Earlier version c. 1857.
Condition 8.
Order #142.
Price $8.
 


'Reflection'.
Condition 8.
Order #143.
Price $8.
 


'Wellington'.
Condition 8.
Order #150.
Price $10.
 


'Wellington'. More contrast on this one.
Condition 8.
Order #6301.
Price $12.
 


1850s view of a bust of Wellington. Original price of 1/6d on the back. Using the National Archives calculator (which is useful) this was £4.43 or US$ 5.80 equivalent in 1860. Views were expensive and not for ordinary people at this time and only became a mass product much later.
Condition 8.
Order #6303.
Price $8.
 


Untitled. Is this Cicero?
Condition. Difference in images views out.
Order #6304.
Price $6.
 


'The Rev. C.H. Spurgeon'. Spurgeon was an American evangelical preacher who drew huge crowds to his sermons in Europe. Click  HERE for more information.
Condition. Difference in images views out.
Order #6305.
Price $12.
 


'General Sir H. Havelock C.B.'. Who? I hear you ask. Click  HERE to be enlightened.
Condition 7.
Order #6306.
Price $8.
 


'Havelock'. With poem lamenting his death. He died in 1857 so that fits in with the date of the view. Amazing how many views of this period that can actually be dated are from 1857/58.
Condition 8/9.
Order #6307.
Price $10.
 


Untitled.
Condition 8.
Order #6311.
Price $8.
 


'Paul and Virginia'. By Cumberworth. Closer view.
Condition 9.
Order #6313.
Price $8.
 


'Italian Tambourine Girl'. London Stereoscopic blindstamp.
Condition 8.
Order #6314.
Price $8.
 


'Diana'.
Condition. Light surface marks.
Order #6320.
Price $6.
 


Untitled.
Condition 9.
Order #6321.
Price $5.
 


'Miss Florence Nightingale, by T. Phyffers'. Plus Lady of the Lamp poem by Longfellow. London Stereoscopic blindstamp.
Condition 9.
Order #6323.
Price $12.
 


'Flora and Pomona'.
Condition 7.
Order #6326.
Price $6.
 
 


'Naomi and her daughters in law'.
Condition 6.
Order #6328.
Price $3.
 


Untitled.
Condition. Surface scratches.
Order #6332.
Price $3.
 


Untitled version of Dorothea by Bell.
Condition. Difference in images views out.
Order #6334.
Price $6.
 


'Venus'. Later view.
Condition 7.
Order #6336.
Price $4.
 


Untitled - is this Rebecca at the well?
Condition 8/9.
Order #6337.
Price $8.
 
 


'Pysche Veiled'.
Condition 8.
Order #6338.
Price $8.
 


Goodman. 'Psyche'.
Condition 9.
Order #6339.
Price $15.
 


'Sea Nymph'.
Condition 8.
Order #6341.
Price $8.
 


Untitled.
Condition 7.
Order #6342.
Price $8.
 
 


Untitled.
Condition 8.
Order #6345.
Price $8.
 


'Burns Highland Mary'.
Condition 7.
Order #6346.
Price $6.
 
 


Untitled.
Condition. Slight mount split thru center.
Order #6352.
Price $5.
 


'Golden Age by Beattie'.
Condition. Stains on left image.
Order #6356.
Price $2.
 


Untitled view of 'Golden Age'.
Condition. Very slight production crease in right image.
Order #6357.
Price $8.
 
 


London Stereoscopic blindstamp. 'The Young Naturalist'.
Condition 8.
Order #6358.
Price $8.
 


Kilburn. 'Marguerite'.
Condition 8.
Order #6360.
Price $8.
 


P. Semplicini.
Condition. Mount slightly split thru center, not affecting images.
Order #6361.
Price $3.
 


P. Semplicini.
Condition. Mount slightly split thru center, not affecting images. Black processing spots.
Order #6362.
Price $3.
 

The rest of this page should probably be in the Natural History section but as they are museum scenes they have ended up here. The following are thin mount silver gelatin early 20th century views in the Countryside Stereograph, Natural History Museum Series, and have a descriptive text on the back.


'No 1. African elephant'.
Condition. Slight crease to bottom left corner of mount.
Order #6363.
Price $4.
 


'No 2. Sperm whale'.
Condition 9.
Order #6364.
Price $4.
 


'No 14. Northern rorqual'.
Condition 9.
Order #6365.
Price $4.
 
 

To the second page of classical and museum views