Lot 352: A Victorian Holmes-type Embossed Aluminium Handheld Stereoscope with a Collection of Stereoview Cards
This lot features a late 19th to early 20th-century Holmes-type handheld stereoscope accompanied by a collection of stereograph cards. The viewer is constructed with an embossed aluminium hood featuring a foliate and scrollwork motif, bordered by a brown velvet protective trim. It includes a dark-stained wooden handle and a central wooden crossbar with a sliding metal wire card holder. The accompanying ephemera collection includes multiple hand-coloured lithographic cards from The Christ Series and Passion Play published by T. W. Ingersoll of St. Paul, Minnesota. Identified titles include The Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, The Baptism of Jesus, The Sermon on the Mount, and The Transfiguration of Our Lord on Mt. Thabor. The group also contains sepia-toned photographic cards from Underwood and Underwood depicting domestic genre scenes, alongside architectural views from the European and American Views series.
Condition report:
The aluminium hood shows visible surface tarnish and oxidation commensurate with age. The velvet trim is worn, particularly at the top and sides. Wooden elements exhibit minor surface scuffs. Lenses appear intact but require cleaning. The cards show typical age-related wear, including rounded corners, areas of foxing, and minor surface soiling. Some cards display slight bowing.
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