Book: P. Wing, Stereoscopes

[P3D Peter Abrahams <telscope@xxxxxxxxxx>]

"Stereoscopes" by Paul Wing is 261 pages of text & pictures that
illuminates this fascinating subject.
The book opens with a note that it is built on a planned publication by E.
Berkowitz and D. Lowy,  both deceased.  Wing recalls a store in Chicago in
the 1920s that sold only older stereo equipment.   
Page 5 depicts a mid 19C stereoscope that uses reflected light to
illuminate.  The use of moonlight, sunrise, midday, and sunset is
suggested, to make this a 'Colour reflector'.  Page 37 shows the
stereoscopic zoetrope, among other 3d motion picture devices.  Page 38, the
Swan cube, two prisms cemented into a beamsplitter, a well-known
innovation; but the patent goes on to describe the use of liquid filled
prisms, filled with solutions of a desired refractive index to optimize
imaging.  To enlarge the image, the front face of the prism cube can be
convex, to make it a magnifying lens.  The several pictures of these
antique devices are inspiring.  Page 41, an achromatic viewer from 1862,
with interocular adjustment, rack & pinion focus, and color filters.  Page
131, the 'graphoscope', a bi-ocular viewer, with a large single lens to
view a single flat picture, giving a sense of depth to it by reducing
convergence & making it seem more distant, thus any depth cues would seem
to match a larger object.  Page 151, my holy grail, a stereo image of 19th
century lens grinding at the H.C. White factory.   Pages 178 & 183,
reversing prisms for a viewer to allow 'editing' of uncut glass negatives,
the orientation of these prisms was a surprise to me.  Page 223, over &
under viewers, some with a difference: one uses reflections from prisms in
front of the eye to view cards placed at the forehead & nose.   Page 224, a
dissolving stereoscope to alternate views between two cards by illuminating
one and then the other.  Page 233, a lorgnette that holds Stanhope viewers
to each eye to give 3d Stanhope views, a patent that probably never made it
to production.  Page 253, viewing panoramic photos.  It goes on and on, and
this is just from a first skim through it.  The bibliography is only one
page, though.  

Written in the US, the book concentrates on American innovations & devices.
 Wing notes that the French archives, patent records, etc. would be an
especially fruitful hunting ground.
$80.ppd. from Pathway Books, Lower Village, Gilsum, NH, 03448.
Tel:603.357.0236.   E-mail pbs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx  Orders only 800.345.6665.  

_______________________________________
Peter Abrahams   telscope@xxxxxxxxxx
the history of the telescope, the microscope,
    and the prism binocular


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