Only when I started to sort out my material did I realise stereographers' obsession for revealing ladies' legs and other naughty bits. As early as 1870 Photographic News published a report of a man arrested for selling 30 vulgar slides to soldiers, sailors and schoolboys - so if you don't come into one of those categories this page may not be for you. Some of these are mechanically produced views - presumably to keep them in pocket-money range. They are often not in particularly good condition - presumably because they have been taken into battle/up rigging/to school. The pricing of these views is loosely based on the principle of 'more flesh, more dollars'. I find this a sad comment on me, you, and the world in general.
In Victorian
England even the legs of tables were covered with a cloth down to the ground
in case the sight inflamed the passions of men. Playboy these are not,
social history they are. I will try to refrain from sexist comments that
might get me in trouble with the Thought Police. Unfortunately I don't
have views of men showing legs to provide a sense of balance. Many of these
bear the name of a previous owner 'John Farrow'. If you know him, avoid
him. If you are him - see a shrink ASAP. If you can't afford
it, I'll start a fund.
The 'S.P' views are real photos - not mechanically produced.
British & Foreign View
Co. Stamp on back indicates that this was originally sold by an opticians
in Leamington !!!
Condition 5.
Order #6251.
Price $6.
Titled 'How a woman climbs
a fence'. Any excuse!
Condition 4/5 (fading).
Order #6252.
Price $5.
'It makes a new woman of you'.
Am I missing something? Mechanically produced view.
Condition 7.
Order #6253.
Price $4.
Untitled.
Condition about 5 with stain
on left image.
Order #6254.
Price $5.
British and Foreign Stereoscopic
Company. 'A critical moment'. An immensely stupid-looking man.
Condition 7/8.
Order #6262.
Price $8.
British and Foreign Stereoscopic
View Company. 'Waiting'.
Condition. Images 8, corner
lost from mount.
Order #6263.
Price $18.
British and Foreign Stereoscopic
View Company. 'Don't get above your business'.
Condition 8/9.
Order #6266.
Price $15.
Anglo-American Stereoscopic
Co. 'I'll bet you don't'. Nice studio pose.
Condition 7.
Order #6269.
Price $8.
'Cinderella'. Can't imagine
her in a fairy coach.
Condition. Fading.
Order #6272.
Price $4.
Not sure what is going on here.
I think lady A has fallen on floor and lady B is looking up her dress.
Condition 3/4 (fading and
chewed top to mount).
Order #6274.
Price $4.
'Phantom banjo'. This scans
appallingly as it is a 'ghost' view. Actually I think it was just a bad
exposure and the photgrapher didn't want to waste it so made up the 'phantom'
title.
Condition 8.
Order #6275.
Price $10.
'Feminine pluck'.
Condition 6/7.
Order #6277.
Price $6.
Congratulations
Ma'am - you've won the ugliest woman on the page award!.
Condition. Slight surface
dents.
Order #6279.
Price $5.
And again, the same lady, this
time exposing her right breast! Titled 'Standing in the bath tub'.
Condition. Light mark diagonally
across left image.
Order #6280.
Price $12.
Excelsior. Oh dear! (my comment,
not title). Any grannyphiles out there?
Condition 7 (slight dents).
Order #6284.
Price $8.
'Taking it easy'.
Condition 7.
Order #6285.
Price $10.
'Hows This?'.
Condition. Slightly light.
Order #6286.
Price $8.
'Bei der Toilette'. A better
quality view on polished mount.
Condition 7/8.
Order #6288.
Price $18.
'Paddy's Blarney'. Not much
flesh but four girls.
Condition 7 (surface scratches).
Order #6289.
Price $10.
'Out you go'.
Condition 8.
Order #6290.
Price $12.
British and Foreign. 'The flirt'.
Condition 6.
Order #6291.
Price $6.
Delightful 1860s view of laundry.
Possibly French.
Condition around 6 due to
slightly fuzzy images.
Order #6293.
Price $18.
'How a woman climbs a fence'.
If this turns you on see a shrink.
Condition 7.
Order #6294.
Price $6.
British and Foreign. Untitled
hanky panky view.
Condition 8.
Order #6295.
Price $12.
Griffith & Griffith 'Music's
Charms'. Pretty girls and some cleavage.
Condition 8.
Order #6296.
Price $15.
B.K. (A. Block of Paris). A
much better class of model.
Condition 7/8.
Order #6297.
Price $18.
Probably accidentally exposed
ankle. Copyright 1891. 'I must have that shell'.
Condition 4/5 (fading).
Order #6300.
Price $4.
Healthier outdoor pursuits
by Underwood. 'Surprised bathers'. They look anything but surprised and
I think they had been trying to get this shot right all morning.
Condition 6/7. (slight mark
on face of woman l/h image. Views better than scan).
Order #7852.
Price $5.
Just to prove the point, this
Excelsior version is a slightly different pose.
Condition 7.
Order #7853.
Price $8.
Art Publishing Co., London
Untitled but this view features a garter for which you will pay
heavily.
Condition 8.
Order #7854.
Price $15.
Excelsior 'A new one today'.
Condition around 5.
Order #7856.
Price $8.
Excelsior. Untitled.
Condition 4 (fading).
Order #7857.
Price $5.
C.H. Graves, Philadelphia 'A
warm day'. One is OK. Oh, and they could've cleared the underwear out from
under the bed before the photo shoot. Seller's stamp for W.E. Bell, Penshurst,
New South Wales, Australia. A much-traveled view.
Condition 6.
Order #7858.
Price $12.
Underwood 'Favorite of the
Harem'. Sheik obviously short-sighted as he's chosen the ugliest. Perhaps
he knows something I don't. Actually he doesn't look capable anyway so
maybe she is just cooking tea.
Condition 7.
Order #7859.
Price $10.
Another mirror view. This time,
I think, using one shot and two girls.
Condition 9/10.
Order #7861.
Price $18.
VERY risque, excellent stereo
effect.
Condition. Couple of creases
top of left image. Very slight loss (white spot) center left edge of right
image. Excellently clear.
Order #7863.
Price $25.
Great Western View Co. 'A serious
misadventure (Scalbert)'. This is an illustration, not photo. NO STEREO
EFFECT.
Condition. Three small brown
spots on left image.
Order #7865.
Price $2.
Pretty girl on this early 20th
century risque glamor view.
Condition 7.
Order #7866.
Price $22.
Tissue views
Very much better tinting than
scan with delicate colors.
Condition. Split as pic. Other
image undamaged.
Order #7868.
Price $18.
Nos Mondaines. 6 - La Douche.
By B.K. Again, much better than scan.
Condition Split extreme bottom
right of right image. Left image undamaged.
Order #7869.
Price $22.
Le Moulin Rouge by B.K. 'Liseth
Vral???'.
Condition. Stain right in
center of right image.
Order #7870.
Price $15.
A very big girl with painted
over bloomers.
Condition. Slight lifting
of tissue backing.
Order #7872.
Price $18.
Very nice French laundry view
by GAF. Ignore tinting on scan - it is much better.
Condition. Tiny dent.
Order #7873.
Price $25.
Thank you for your patience. I shall now revise the 'Palestine' section as a penance.
