Stereopticon Viewer

[P3D Lester Konrad <lkonrad@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I just saw, at an antique shop in Portland, Or; what I guess is a Stereo
viewer for tissue cards along with 
about 15 Stereo tissue cards. It appears to be made like a Holmes type
Stereo viewer with the same wooden lens board, glass wedgy lenses and the
tin shade that does not work well with modern eye glasses. The viewing
portion of the viewer is covered with a leathered boxed apparatus. A
slightly smaller box fits inside the
large box and is designed to slide back and forth for focusing. The end of
the box, away from the lens board was made to flip up so you could insert
the stereo card. The tissue cards, unfortunately were in bad shape because
of the fragile nature of the image material, thin enough that light would
pass through the
image when the viewer was held up to light. The subject matter of the cards
was nothing I would call exiting. Out of the 15 cards, probably about half
or so were without severe damage. By severe damage, I mean holes actually
poked through the image. At first I thought the viewer was home made, but
when you flip the end up, there is a brand on it something like American
Stereopticon or something like that.

My question is, are these fairly common? This was the first one I've seen. I
have heard of people talking 
about tissue slides but I'm not sure if that's what this is. Any information
on this would be appreciated.
Thanks. 

Les Konrad
lkonrad#pacifier.com


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