Stereographs (also known as stereograms, stereoviews and stereocards) present 3-D views of their objects, enabling armchair tourists to have a "you are there" experience. The term stereo" is derived from the Greek word for "solid". American doctor and writer Oliver Wendell Holmes remarked that this "solid" view gave the person a truer picture compared to the flat image of a postcard, drawing, or painting. Stereographs feature two photographs or printed images positioned side by side about two and half inches apart, one for the left eye and one for the right. When a viewer uses a stereoscope, these two flat images are combined into a single image that gives the illusion of depth. Stereoscopes work the way that vision works. Since our two eyes are positioned about two inches apart, we see everything from two slightly different angles, which our brain then processes into a single picture that has spatial depth and dimension. In 1838 Charles Wheatstone published a paper providing the scientific basis for stereography. Wheatstone used drawings rather than photographs. In 1830s and 1840s scientists such as Niepce, Daguerre, and Talbot created the processes that made photography possible and these were soon used to produce stereographs. In 1850 Sir William Brewster invented an inexpensive viewing device for stereographs called the lenticular stereoscope. This device is a closed box that has one or two openings for light; two lenses are located on the top and enable the viewer to see a 3-D image on the floor of the box. In 1851 with London‚s Great Exhibition exposure and praise given by Queen Victoria the stereoscope gained enormous popularity. In America Oliver Wendell Holmes invented a hand viewer and promoted the creation of stereograph libraries. At first stereographs were produced as daguerreotypes (printed on copper) and ambrotypes (printed on glass). But once they began to be printed on card stock (less expensive and more stable), their popularity increased dramatically. At first the card stock appeared flat, then B.W. Killburn in the 1880s found that a slight curvature could increase the illusion of depth. Thereafter, the "warped" looking cards became more prominent. At first two cameras were rigged to capture the images. Eventually cameras with multiple lenses were used. The stereographs were popular in the parlor, but were also used for educational purposes. With the advent of the movies stereographs waned with the 1930s seeing the last of their production. But the concept was not gone. The idea lives today in the View-Master, one of the 50 best toys of the 20th century. Sawyer Photo Services sold photo postcards and albums as souvenirs. In 1926 its president Harold Graves met William Gruber, a German immigrant and organ maker, on vacation with both men involved in photography. Through this chance meeting the pair joined forces and created View-Master in 1938. At first it was an educational tool aimed at adults. The U.S. military purchased many millions of reels to aid with artillery spotting and aircraft identification during WWII. As was the stereoscope, it was a popular parlor tourist viewing item as well. Again as with the stereoscope, a great fair - New York World's Fair in 1939 - increased its popularity. Sawyer's did not have the field to themselves, so they purchased the main competition Tru-Vue in 1951. With that came the licensing rights to Walt Disney Studios. From there the reels quickly began to target children's subjects. In 1966 GAF (General Aniline & Film) purchased Sawyer's. They produced now-classic TV series on the reels. In 1977 GAF produced a goof that collectors seek. The company switched from Kodak film to a poor quality variety that over time turned red. In 1981 GAF sold View-Master to Ekco Housewares for $24 million. In 1987 View-Master was purchased by Ideal Toy Company and became known as View-Master International (VMI). In 1989 View-Master was sold to Tyco Toys. Tyco merged with Mattel in 1997. Mattel has shifted the View-Master to the subsidiary Fisher-Price. In all, there were about 25 different models of viewers and 1.5 billion reels produced. Every reel was made to work in any model ever produced. |
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"Lady Debra" and "Lady Carol" served tea, salad, sandwiches, scones, and dessert. Each member brought a little display of her favorite collectible to show the prospective members. The picture shows Marilyn Henze with her group of blonde angels. |
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Candles were developed about 3000 B.C. They were originally made of tallow, a form of rendered animal fat. In the 17th and 18th centuries, sperm oil was the favored candle material. Today, the much less odorous paraffin wax is used. This was developed just ahead of kerosene. Candles are slow burning and smoky. While the odor of the smoke may not have been pleasant, it was certainly preferable to an earlier era when a wick was inserted into an oily fish and lit. From 5000 BC there were lamps crafted from stones, shells, and pottery which used olive, sesame, fish, castor, whale and nut oil, depending on availability. There are also records of the early use of fireflies to provide man with a source of convenient light. Because of the safety issue and the problem of vermin drinking the oils and the attraction of insect to the light, oil reservoir lamps were developed about 500 BC. The function of the candlestick has always been to hold a candle in a position of safety, so as to avoid damage by fire from the flame and to prevent mess from molten wax or grease. A prudent 18th century lady, Mrs. Whatman, noted that "the first thing a housekeeper should teach her new servant is to carry her candle upright." Over the years, the candlestick has taken many forms˜from the miner's light to hang on a spike in a wall, to elaborately designed objects created for more sophisticated surroundings. A pair of silver candlesticks was presented to Westminster Abbey in about 1250 by Henry III, while two centuries later Henry VI owned a pair of gold ones set with 4 sapphires, 4 rubies, 4 emeralds, and 24 pearls. I suppose such candlesticks were considered jewelry for your dining table. Wars and other disorders have periodically resulted in the destruction of valuables˜especially those owned by the church. Gold and silver were easily melted down by the unscrupulous to be unrecognizable. The changes in style have also added to the melting of older styles to make newer ones. When tin was considered a valuable commodity, pewter was melted down to make other forms of kitchenware and even cannon balls. Therefore, some old forms are rare˜especially early American forms. There was not always the present-day reverence for anything old and an heir did not hesitate to dispose of inherited possessions in return for a more modern pattern. Most surviving metal candlesticks are brass. Candles were the best, but most costly form of light in the 1700‚s and 1800‚s. Provided they were regularly trimmed, they gave off less smoke and they would last for several hours. For most people a single candle would have lit the parlour and would have guided them to bed. For the halls of the wealthy, many dozens of candles gave a fine light. Country folk used candles made from mutton fat or tallow that they made themselves. The rich used beeswax and in town they would have bought candles from a chandler. The difficulty of removing the stub of a used candle got the attention of inventive minds. Not only could a fresh candle not be inserted in the holder until the old one had been taken away, but the economical could remit the recovered piece. At first it was sufficient to have a hole at the side of the socket so that a short length of wire or stick could be inserted to pry up the stub. In the early years of the 18th century the hollow stems of many brass candlesticks were fitted with ejectors, that worked by pushing upwards on a bottom placed in the center of the base or at the side of the hollow stem. Pewter (Britannia) candlesticks were nothing like as common as examples in brass, but were made in considerable quantities and most homes prior to 1700 would have had one or more examples. Only a handful of candlesticks made before 1600 have survived and the 17th century patterns are very rare. Pewter candlesticks were never marked with anything. As the candle was replaced by gas and oil, the candlestick gradually lost its former importance and the attention paid to its design diminished. In the last quarter of the 19th century, there was a revival of interest in plain furnishings. A return to candlelight, however romantic it may have been thought, was limited in the face of modern illuminants. The candle was reserved for the poor, religious ceremonies, as a reliable standby in emergencies and to provide atmosphere at the dinner table. |
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Our June 19 meeting was an interesting field trip arranged by Pat Ireland-Wiliams. We went to the Garchen Buddhist Institute east of Chino Valley. Our guide gave us a nice tour of the buildings and grounds. Later we had lunch at Bonn-Fire in Chino Valley. To see more pictures of our trip, click here. |
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Mr. Hull purchased an Ohio company in 1905. In 1917 the factory was renamed AE Hull Pottery Company. The pottery made there was matte with shades of blue, pink, and brown predominating. Fire destroyed the company but in 1952 it was reopened as Hull Pottery Company. A new modern style was adopted. The pieces were glossy. Dinnerware was also produced at this time until the factory was closed in 1986. There were many flower patterns and each piece was identified with a number and the first letter of the flower name. The Roseville company was established in Roseville, Ohio in 1892. The pottery was made to be useful, holders such as pitchers and basins. A lot of pottery and glass has been made in Ohio because of the clay. Roseville began making art pottery in 1900; it was more for decoration than usefulness. |
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April 17 was the date of our meeting hosted by Marilyn Henze, who served us a tasty plated brunch. The program was presented by Mona McCroskey who is an oral history volunteer at Sharlot Hall museum. She told about many of her experiences as a historian. This picture shows Mona in front, modeling the apron she won in the raffle. Behind her, left is Marilyn Henze and Marilyn Jenkins on the right. |
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Our March meeting was hosted by Nan Hunter at her home. Joanne Hammond presented our "show and tell" on textiles. She gave us some background information and then asked all the members to share their vintage and antique pieces. Guest Kay Lange also shared her weaving talents with us. |
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February 21, 2008 meeting at the home of Donna Cummings Donna presented her program on Depression Glass. She exibited many examples from her personal collection and asked other members to show pieces which they had brought. Donna explained that Depression Glass dates from the late 1920's through the early 1940's. This was mass-produced and was not of high quality but came in a variety of nice colors which brightened the tables of people living in dreary times. Today's most popular colors with collectors are pink, cobalt blue, and green. The glassware was also made in amber, iridescent, opaque white and several other colors. Depression Glass was very popular and affordable. It was even free with certain purchases. For example, oatmeal boxes might have pieces included in their contents. After Donna showed the various types and patterns, all of the present members realized that they had at least a piece or two in their homes, usually passed down from mothers, aunts, or grandmothers. There have been many reproductions and people need to be sure that they are buying originals. Luckily many of us received family pieces which can therefore be known to be from the Depression. |
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Victoria Clark, (shown second from right) Questers State First Vice President, from Sedona gave a very enjoyable and informational presentation (in period costume) as Marguerite Staude, an artist/sculptor, who designed and built the Chapel of the Holy Cross in 1955 (dedicated in 1956 to her parents). |
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As in most collectibles, it is important to have an authoritative book to consult while assembling the collection. Used for this collection is Connie A. Moore and Harry L. Rinker‚s book Snowglobes, the Collector‚s Guide to Selecting, Displaying, and Restoring Snow Globes, Quintet Publishing, 1993. Also used were several internet sources. This is not an old field of collecting although some globes have been around since the 1870s. Nancy McMichael is credited with documenting and popularizing this hobby in the mid 1980s. Nancy found that if she wanted this information, she would have to dig for it herself. She found the first mention of them in a documented source was at the Paris Exhibition from May 1 to Oct. 31, 1878. In the United States Joseph Garaja of Pittsburgh obtained the first patent for one on December 31, 1929, and a mail order novelty company, Johnson Smith and Company, offered in their 1929 catalog Garaja’s snowglobe as one of three “Novelty Pond Ornaments”. As with all good ideas, snow globes spread outside Europe and the U.S. with Japan exporting them in the 1930s with ceramic bases. The Modern Novelty of Pittsburgh began making the bases with a Bakelite sloped pedestal base during this period. The movies boosted the sales of snow globes. With Best Actress Ginger Rogers in Kitty Foyle the sales of the snow globes tripled after the showing of the snow globe with a bisque figure of a young girl sledding down a hill from a castle which served as a transition element between principal scenes. Major historical events were themes of the snow globes such as Charles Lindbergh’s flight. Like in many other areas technological advancements came to the field after World War II. Injection molding and plastic dome-shaped snow globes became dominant. Generally accepted, the snow globe has a base, a clear container, a focus figure, and flitter with some sort of liquid. The material is usually glass or plastic, but the seal is of utmost importance no matter what material. Evaporation occurs and some are experimenting with replacing the liquid, a procedure NOT advocated at all. The liquid at first was water, but in the early part of the 20th century pollution did become an issue. Today the liquid used is chemically treated to kill impurities. Besides chemicals, glycol is added to slow the movement of the flitter. An Austrian manufacturer, Perzy, adds antifreeze to prevent breakage due to freezing as the globes are being shipped around the world. Progressive Products, an American firm, used oil as a liquid with marginal results. Many manufacturers keep the exact mixture a trade secret. An on-line recipe for making snow globes suggested using mineral oil as the liquid. The flitter can be a myriad of materials. Early ones tried bone chips, ceramic and pottery fragments, minerals, ground rice, sawdust, and wax bound with camphor. The online recipe suggested using ground egg shells. The key element in the technology of the snow globe is prolonging the length of time it takes for the snow to fall which is dependent of on the density of the liquid and the shape of the snow. The only limit of the figure inside the globe is that it does not dissolve in the liquid. A wide variety of materials have been used. The backgrounds did not appear until the 30s and 40s. The base, as has been noted, can be made of a variety of materials as well. With music boxes and lights the bases have become more prominent to accommodate for the added details. |
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Pat Ireland-Williams hosted the November 15th meeting.
Ann Krummel treated us to an interesting presentation regarding the art of Porcelain Painting (also known as hand painted china). Ann has been studying and creating this precise art for 47 years. She has been teaching for many years and has received numerous awards from local, state and national organizations. She recently enjoyed teaching for a cruise line. She has her own teaching studio here in Prescott. Not only did she give us a thorough history of china painting but also taught us about the various tools and techniques used throughout the years. She brought numerous examples showing the progression of firing pieces as well as how pieces are customized in order to be unique. She also taught us how to identify decal work which is often found on china or porcelain which is labeled "hand painted". She also analyzed pieces we had brought from our own collections in order to authenticate our piece. Her website contains good information for anyone wanting to learn more about this fascinating art: http://myweb.cableone.net/letspaintchina/ |
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October 18, 2007 presented by Beth Niebuhr at her home
Women Ragtime Composers in the early 1900's (excerpt) The year is 1900 and a family is gathered in the parlor of their home in a small Iowa town. It’s an intergenerational group - children, teenagers, parents, and gradparents. In the evenings, they enjoy gathering to read poetry or the Bible or to listen to the young ladies of their family play classical music. Early in the 20th centruy, with no access to the radio, recordings, movies , or other diversions, the piano is the staple of family entertainment. Especially in rural areas, the popular music scene has yet to erupt. Live entertainment still means speeches or occasional dramatic or musical performances. People go to town to buy supplies or go to church, not to seek amusements. Women are beginning to enter the workforce but are discouraged from participating in public affairs. Their primary sphere is still the home - keeping house, raising children and maintaining the family morals. And although Iowa suffragists have been campaigning since the 1870’s, the 19th Amendment is still a generation away. Yet in an era when symphony orchestras commonly exclude women from membership, young girls are being exposed to the world of music. The 1902 Sears catalog offers the American Home Piano for $98.50, and middle-class parents are introducing their daughters to piano lessons. Their honed talent will not be for public performance, however. These new skills enhance an expected repertoire, preparing the young women to be proper wives and mothers who maintain the household and entertain the family. They are an unlikely group to embrace the melodic expressions of former slaves and their descendents. Yet the lives of women in Iowa are soon to be dramatically influenced by a group of Americans far more oppressed than they. Drawing from the spirituals, work songs, and dance music created by slaves - both for their own entertainment and for their masters - African Americans in the late 1800’s introduced audiences to a new sound. Following on the heels of Scott Joplin’s 1899 “Maple Leaf Rag” - coined “Classical Ragtime” by its publisher to call attention to its complexity, originality, and sophistication - white middle-class Iowa women, most in their teens and early twenties, began not only to play but to compose and publish ragtime piano music. Without apology, they banged out songs with titles like “Kinky,” “That Hateful Rag,” and “Smash-Up Rag.” They also served as “song pluggers” and played musical accompaniment to silent movies. |
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August 23, 2007 Eleanor and Jim Sigmon hosted an indoor (because of the weather) picnic at their lovely new home. Jim provided the program, speaking about his gun collection. He had a lot of interesting information, including the value of guns as an investment. |
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Our hostess, Cam Waguespack, arranged for an interesting and educational presentation by John Phillips, RPh, owner/pharmacist of Goodwin Street Pharmacy. He was extremely knowledgeable about Prescott's history and also shared with us his extensive collection of pharmaceutical memorabilia that he has collected for many years. |
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