An Odd Keystone Viewer

[P3D David DeJean <ddejean@xxxxxxxxxx>]

The mention of Keystone Views gives another newbie a chance to jump in:
I've been lurking on the list for six months or so, thanks to Peter Davis.
I'm more interested in the history of stereo than the practice
(translation: I haven't bought a camera yet . . . but I'm headed for Prague
next week, so maybe lightning will strike me, too).

I've bought a boxful of old stuff, though -- View-Master and Tru-Vue and
stereo cards. And last week I bought an odd Keystone viewer. It's metal
partly covered with a glued-on black leatherette fabric, and collapses into
a neat little package about 3 by 5 by 1, with two round lenses stuck into
the flat leatherette-covered side. The opposite side is a pull-out easel.
Open the viewer is about 4 inches deep, and the easel is sized to hold
stereo views about 2 1/2 inches high by 4 5/8 wide -- far too small for
regular stereo cards, and even too small to hold a postcard-sized view.

I have seen something similar: A European boxed set of small view cards
with a collapsible viewer apparently sold as a souvenir, although the
viewer looked very different.

Any collector out there have any information on this? I can't find anything
like it in the Waldsmith guide or my other resources.

-- David

P.S. -- did anybody notice the stereo view of Hong Kong on the ope-ed page
of this morning's New York Times? Once you start looking for them, they
show up everywhere!  


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David DeJean
DeJean & Clemens
40 Schofield Dr.
Newton, MA 02160
ddejean@xxxxxxxxxx
617-969-7054
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