Nude photography was widespread in France in the beginning of the 20th century. Postcards and stereoviews of nude models were readily available. The government tolerated these images as long as they were not obscene and did not disturb public order.

The Gaumont Stéréodrome is a well designed and robust stereoscope for 6x13cm glass stereoviews, manufactured by the Societé des Etablissements Gaumont from Paris.

Today, even the simplest digital camera has a light meter that is advanced enough to calculate good exposure times for most light conditions. How different this was at the beginning of the 20th century. Photographers had to set their exposure based on their own experience, exposure tables or a best guess. Auguste-Robert Kaufmann designed the Posographe to improve this process.

Recently I found a Zeiss Ikon postcard on eBay. It was a bit too expensive but when I read the text on the back, I really wanted it. The text reveals a little bit of Dutch photo history.

The Reicka is a folding plate stereo camera developed by Emil Wünsche from Dresden. The camera supports 10 x 15cm glass plate negatives and filmpacks.

The Brentano’s bookshop in Paris was a major producer of glass stereoviews with images of the war in 45 x 107mm and 6 x 13cm format. Most of what we know about their role as producer of stereoviews is through the research of the Boyd/Jordan collection.

The Vérascope was the first stereo camera that supported the new 45x107mm glass plate negative format that was introduced by Jules Richard in 1893. It revived stereo photography and the name Vérascope became also the trademark for stereoscopes and other accessories that supported the 45x107mm format.