Sterro-Photo Company photographs
Description
This collection consists of glass plate steroscopic photographic negatives. Some stereo pairs are contained on a single plate, but in most cases the right and left images are on separate plates. The stereoviews in this collection include narrative scenes featuring actors in costume; photos of landscapes, street scenes, and casual portraits taken outside; travel photos, including images of the 1901 World’s Fair in Buffalo; posed studio portraits; and erotic photos of young white women posing in various states of undress.
Dates
- 1895 - 1910
Creator
- Clarence A. Richmond (1871-1959) (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Unrestricted
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright on this material has not been evaluated. You are free to use this material in any way that is permitted by copyright that applies to your use.
Extent
3 Linear Feet (3 boxes (88 glass negatives in box 1, 48 glass negatives in both boxes 2-3))
143 digital images
Language of Materials
English
Additional Description
Materials Specific Details
Stereoscopic views, or stereographs, were a popular form of at-home entertainment in the 19th and early 20th centuries. They were produced using a special double camera that captured two views of the same object from slightly different angles, mimicking the distance between human eyes. Viewing the stereo pair through a device called a stereoscope or stereo viewer created the illusion of a three-dimensional view from the two two-dimensional photos, resulting in an immersive experience and sensation of physical presence. Stereographs were typically mounted on cards printed with descriptive captions and publisher information. Stereoscopic narrative scenes were meant to be viewed in sequence. The stereocards would have been printed with captions describing the scene or with lines of dialogue, akin to a silent film. Because the photos in this collection are original negatives and not printed stereocards, they lack captions and sequence information.
Part of the Rauner Library Archives and Manuscripts Repository