Q-C Collectibles: Opticon cards give an early glimpse at photography

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By Doug Smith | Tuesday, May 1, 2007 12:14 PM CDT | () comments

Dear Doug: Here is a scan (photo) of some of stereo opticon cards I have. Some are European photos, others are religious, humorous and from World War I. My grandmother left me about 50 cards and a viewer, and I would like to acquire more. I was wondering if they are rare, where I might find others and how much they generally cost.

Thanks!

Scott

Dear Scott: Stereoviews like you have are another form of early photography, along with daguerreotypes, tintypes, cabinet cards and carte de viste images, which can be highly prized by collectors of history. The neat-o thing about stereoviews is that they create the illusion of three dimensions, or 3-D, when viewed through a device called a Stereoscope. The way it works is really a very simple concept. Human eyes are set about 21/2 inches apart, so each eye sees an image that is slightly different than the other. Our brain assembles those images, giving a perspective of depth and 3-D. By taking two separate photographs 21/2 inches apart and viewing those images through a Stereoscope, which has prismatic lenses, our eyes blend the two and our brain again assembles them into that 3-D image.

Stereoviews were first taken back in the 1850s, and, from that time until World War I, the stereoscope allowed our parents’ parents’ parents to visit every corner of the world. So, though they didn’t have moving pictures, we do have a 3-D historical record of those 70 years.

The cards you have are what are known as color litho views. These are basically cheap reproductions of the wonderful “real photo” views, which are out there and in high demand. Lithographic prints could be made on a printing press quickly and cheaply rather than being developed painstakingly from a negative. Color photography was not around in those days, but this allowed the cards to be hand-tinted. However, the color was not necessarily very accurate and was based on someone’s interpretation of how they should appear.

Stereoview cards are found quite commonly in local antique and secondhand stores, in online auctions and many private Web sites at set sale prices. Lithos are seldom worth very much at all and are often bought in collections or accumulations for as little as 50 cents per card. On the other hand, real photo stereoviews can be quite pricey, especially in auctions between stubborn collectors setting out to prove who has more money or less brains.

People generally tend to collect certain themes. For example, I collect stereoviews and antique images of Davenport and the Quad-City area, while other collectors prefer views of railroads, steamboats, aviation, black Americana, American Indians and many other subjects and topics.

With the advent of moving pictures, radio and other forms of entertainment, Stereoscopes were relegated to the back of the closet and finally to grandma’s attic. It is only fitting that the mediocrity of those forms of entertainment today have the au courant rummaging through the boxes of grandma’s attic for something trendier.

Keep Kollecting!

Doug

Contact Doug Smith with your collectibles questions by e-mailing him at DougsQCCollecting@hotmail.com or send a note to Quad-City Times, Attn.: features editor, P.O. Box 3828, Davenport, IA, 52808. Please send a photograph, if available, either by e-mail or letter.