Re: Flattening Stereoviews

[P3D John Weiler <jweiler@xxxxxxx>]

Michael Dabrosca asks,

Any ideas on how to flatten curled stereoviews?

Michael,

Most stereoviews produced from the 1880s or 1890s into this century
were produced with a deliberate curl or curve; they're known as
"curved-mount" stereoviews.  Supposedly it was claimed that this
curvature enhanced the stereo effect, but I don't think it made any
real difference.  These should be left curved.  Occasionally one will
encounter curved-mount views which someone attempted to flatten; these
would now be considered as damaged.  Keystone and U&U are well-kwown
curved-mount era publishers.

Earlier "flat-mount" views do tend to pick up a bit of curvature in one
direction or another, due to differences of expansion and contraction
of the dissimilar mount and (usually) albumen print materials resulting
from years of storage, exposure to moisture, etc.  Generally it's best
to leave this warpage alone.  Fortunately most mount cardstocks
were produced from rags, not wood pulp, so they maintain much of their
original flexibility.  But by attempting to carefully bend the
stereograph to counteract the curl it is possible to produce a crease,
especially between the prints.  Cheaper copy views were sometimes
mounted on cheap cardstock; these views are often brittle and can break
quite easily with handling or bending.  

So be careful, or better yet, don't try do unbend 'em.


John Weiler
Columbus OH
jweiler@xxxxxxx


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