Bidspirit auction | Antique Keystone Monarch Stereoscope Viewer

Antique Keystone Monarch Stereoscope Viewer with a Collection of Stereoview Cards, circa 1904 - An antique Keystone Monarch Stereoscope viewer, circa 1904, crafted from wood with a silver-colored metal hood and glass lenses. It is accompanied by a substantial collection of stereoview cards. These photographic prints, many colorized, are mounted on rigid cardboard. The collection features a diverse range of subjects, including prominent black and white ethnographic portraits of Native American individuals. Legible captions identify figures such as ”Black Hawk, Apache Chief,” ”Hairy Woman, Comanche Chief,” ”Mow-Way, Comanche Chief,” ”Tash-A-Wak, Comanche Chief,” and ”Witulfma, Cheyenne Chief.” Other cards depict genre scenes, often featuring children, various landscapes, and documentary images such as ”Japanese Fishermen at Wharf in Yokohama” and a winter hunting scene titled ”Good for One Day.” Many cards bear copyright dates, primarily ”1898” and ”1899,” attributed to ”T. W. Ingersoll,” with some indicating ”Keystone View Company” or ”J. L. ADKINS” as publishers and listing distribution points including St. Louis, Mo., Louisville, Ky., and London, England. The collection dates from the late 19th to early 20th century.