Series GI Stereoscopic Photographs - Griffith Institute Stereoscopic Photographs Collection

Identity area

Reference code

GI Stereoscopic Photographs

Title

Griffith Institute Stereoscopic Photographs Collection

Date(s)

  • c. 1944-1950 (Creation)
  • c. 1924-1927 (Creation)
  • c. 1908-1916 (Creation)
  • c. 1900-1914 (Creation)
  • c. 1898-1906 (Creation)
  • c. 1896-1904 (Creation)

Level of description

Series

Extent and medium

1 purpose-made box containing 103 stereoscopic photographs and 4 boxes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Name of creator

(1914-1966)

Biographical history

Name of creator

Biographical history

Ophtalmic / Optitian.

Name of creator

Biographical history

Film company.

Name of creator

(1873-1937)

Biographical history

British photographer and Quaker, born into a family of grocers in Leeds, England, in March 1873. After his father died and his brother took over the grocery business, Dearden Holmes appears to have moved to London. From c.1924 to 1927, he undertook a world photographic tour, photographing with a stereoscopic camera. Sunbeam Tours published Dearden Holmes' stereoscopic photographs. Photographs were also issued free inside packets of cigarettes, such as the Army Club Cigarettes series "Peeps Into Many Lands". A pair of these cards could be viewed with a Camerscope, which gave depth to the flat photographs so that they appeared three-dimensional. James Dearden Holmes died in Shanklin, Isle of Wight, England, on 24 June 1937.

Name of creator

(1878-1964)

Biographical history

Canadian-born photographer. Girdwood worked in India for the India Corps. In 1908, he founded Realistic Travels, a photography agency and publisher specializing in stereoscopic photography. Girdwood spent several months during World War I photographing Indian and British troops, mostly as staged shots.

Name of creator

(1862-1922)

Biographical history

American photographer, known for the stereoviews he published in the U.S. and other areas. His work included many images of sights in Yellowstone National Park as well as hunting scenes and architectural features. In the early 20th century he also produced half-tone lithoviews. His company was named Ingersoll View Company. Ingersoll was born to Daniel Wesley and Marion Ward Ingersoll in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Ingersoll is buried at Oakland Cemetery in St. Paul.

Archival history

1) GI stereo photos 1-49: Not known.
2) Formerly in private possession in Bangor, Northern Ireland; acquired by Dr F. Bosch-Puche in June 2017.
3) GI stereo photos 50-99: Formerly in private possession in Scotland; at auction at Mulberry Bank Auctions, 15 Kelvin Avenue, Hillington Park, Glasgow (sale 26th-27th October 2018, lot 290).
4) GI stereo photos 100-123a: Formerly in private possession, presumably in Scotland; at auction at Bowler & Binnie Auctioneers, Unit 7-8 Lynburn Industrial Estate, Dunfermline, Fife, KY11 4JT ("Antique, Collector & Interior" online sale, 6th April 2024, lot 306).
5) GI stereo photos 124-168: Formerly in the possession of David Dickinson (dealer) in Bath; on sale on eBay in June 2026.
6) GI stereo photos 168-185: On sale on eBay in July 2026.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

1) GI stereo photos 1-49: Presented by Mr. P. Carter in 2002.
2) Presented by Dr F. Bosch-Puche in June 2017.
3) GI stereo photos 50-99: Acquired by E. Fleming on behalf of the Griffith Institute in October 2018.
4) GI stereo photos 100-123a: Acquired by E. Fleming on behalf of the Griffith Institute in April 2024.
5) GI stereo photos 124-167: Acquired by E. Fleming on behalf of the Griffith Institute in June 2026.
6) GI stereo photos 168-185: Presented by E. Fleming in July 2026.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

1) GI stereo photos 1-49 (only Egypt-related catalogued): 103 stereoscopic photographs published by Underwood & Underwood, c. 1896-1904. Views of Egypt (49), China (50), Europe (3), and India (1).

2) Sawyer's View-Master Model B, black bakelite (c. 1944-1947), and 12 View-Master reels with 7 pictures of Egypt each (© 1950): 3301 'Cairo, Egypt'; 3302 'The Famous Mosques of Cairo, Egypt'; 3303 'The Great Pyramids and Sphinx, Giza, Egypt'; 3304 'The Tombs of the Kings, Thebes, Egypt'; 3305 'Treasures of King Tut-Ankh-Amen, Cairo, Egypt'; 3306 'The River Nile, Assuan to Cairo, Egypt'; 3307 'The Valley of the Nile, Egypt'; 3308 'People of the Nile Valley, Egypt'; 3309 'Sakkara and Memphis, Egypt'; 3310 'Luxor & El Karnak, Egypt'; 3311 'Ancient Thebes, Egypt'; and 3312 'Assuan on the Nile, Egypt'.

3) GI stereo photos 50-99: 50 stereoscopic glass positives accompanied by a handwritten numbered index of images and a Gaumont stereoscopic viewer. The positives were created in Egypt some time between 1900 and 1914. Views include Alexandria, Cairo (street scenes and inside the Egyptian Museum), the pyramids at Giza, the Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, and Aswan.

4) GI stereo photos 100-123 (photos), 123a (viewer): 24 stereoscopic photographs accompanied by a black metal stereoscopic viewer. Photographed by J. Dearden Holmes. Published by Sunbeam Tours London. Views of ancient and modern Egypt, c. 1924-1927.

5) GI stereo photos 124-167: 44 stereoscopic photographs. Photographed by Dr [Charles] H[ilton] D[eWitt] Girdwood. Published by Realistic Travels London. Views of ancient and modern Egypt (part of a set of 100 in total), c. 1908-1916.

6) GI stereo photos 168-185: 18 colour half-tone lithographic stereoscopic images. Photographed by Truman Ward Ingersoll. Published by his company Ingersoll View Company, as part of a series of coloured stereoviews distributed worldwide. Views of ancient and modern Egypt, c. 1898-1906. Numbers present in this group: 1374-1378, 1380, 1382-1393.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Kept as received.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Property of the Griffith Institute. No restrictions.

Conditions governing reproduction

  • 1-2) Copyright not established, but the Smithsonian American Art Museum should be consulted regarding 1) and General Aniline & Film (GAF) regarding 2).
  • 3-6) Copyright Griffith Institute, University of Oxford.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

    Language and script notes

    Physical characteristics and technical requirements

    No problems.

    Finding aids

    None.

    Allied materials area

    Existence and location of originals

    • 1) These are original copies. The original negatives are in the Smithsonian American Art Museum (Underwood & Underwood Glass Stereograph Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History: https://americanhistory.si.edu/ne/collections/archival-collection/sova-nmah-ac-0143).
    • 2) These are original copies. Location of original negatives not known.
    • 3) These are original copies. Location of original negatives not known.
    • 4) These are original copies. Location of original negatives not known.
    • 5) These are original copies. Location of original negatives not known.
    • 6) These are original copies. Location of original negatives not known.

    Existence and location of copies

    1-6) Not known.

    Related units of description

    Griffith Institute Archive:

    • Three boxes containing a total of 176 lantern slides. Presented together with 1) by the same donor.

    Publication note

    Not known.

    Notes area

    Alternative identifier(s)

    Access points

    Subject access points

    Place access points

    Name access points

    Genre access points

    Description control area

    Description identifier

    Institution identifier

    Rules and/or conventions used

    Status

    Level of detail

    Dates of creation revision deletion

    Language(s)

      Script(s)

        Sources

        Accession area