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Guide to the Keystone Stereocard Collection
MSS-2010-08-25
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Table of contents
Title: Keystone Stereocard Collection
Dates: 1895-1905
Collection number: MSS-2010-08-25
Creator:
San Jose State College
Collection Size:
5 boxes,
2.3 linear feet
Repository:
San José State University. Library.
San José, California 95192-0028
Abstract: The Keystone Stereocard Collection contains 600 stereocards published by the Keystone View Company. Stereocards were a very
popular entertainment medium from the late 1880s to the 1970s. Half of the cards in this stereocard collection are targeted
towards young children. Each card contains a very basic description using simple vocabulary to foster reading and vocabulary
skills in school-age children. The second half of the collection contains geographic and industrial images targeted towards
adults. These cards feature many places around the world as well as many geographical and industrial places in America. The
collection is arranged into two series: Series I. Educational Series, circa 1895; and Series II. Adult Series, 1895-1905
Physical location: Vault 2, Range 1B
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Collection is open for research.
Copyright is assigned to the San José State University Special Collections & Archives. All requests for permission to publish
or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Special Collections. Permission for publication
is given on behalf of the Special Collections & Archives. Copyright restrictions may apply to digital reproductions of the
original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
The Keystone Stereocard Collection, MSS-2010-08-25, San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives.
Collection processed by Lisa Zakharova. Finding aid EAD encoded by Lisa Zakharova. Reviewed by Danelle Moon.
Stereocards were a very popular entertainment medium from the late 1880s to the 1970s. Many different photographic processes
were used to produce stereographs, including dauerreotypes, ambrotypes, wet plate glass positives, salt paper prints, albumen
prints, and gelatin prints. Stereographs were formed of two images placed side by side and were commonly produced with cameras
that had two lenses side by side. This selection features only paper prints from wet collodion negatives.
The Keystone View Company was created in 1892 in Meadville, Pennsylvania by B.L. Singley as a company whose primary focus
was to create a large variety of stereocards. By 1905 it was the largest sterographic company in the world. Keystone created
and distributed millions of stereocards throughout the United States. In 1898 they organized their highly successful Education
Department which produced boxed sets for school instruction of images and descriptive text illustrating culture, industry,
commerce and politics world-wide. Stereocards came in different sets marked by a letter. Customers could buy stereocards by
the "book", a box shaped like a book which contained 50, 100, or 200 stereocards. This collection prominently features set
"P", the educational set designed for elementary school-aged children. While stereocards had been losing popularity shortly
after cinema became one of the most popular entertainment mediums, the Keystone Company continued to produce stereocards until
1972 when it went out of business.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Keystone StereoCard Collection contains 600 stereocards published by the Keystone View Company. Stereocards were a very
popular entertainment medium from the late 1880s to the 1970s. Half of the cards in this stereocard collection are targeted
towards young children. Each card contains a very basic description using simple vocabulary to foster reading and vocabulary
skills in school-age children. The second half of the collection contains geographic and industrial images targeted towards
adults. These cards feature many places around the world as well as many geographical and industrial places in America.
This collection is arranged into two series: Series I. Educational Series, circa 1895; and Series II. Adult Series, 1895-1905
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Keystone View Company
Stereographs
Education--Children
History--United States
History--Native Americans
Natural Landmarks--History
Natural Landmarks-- Europe
The California Stereocard Collection, MSS-2010-09-18
The Keystone View Company.
http://www.yellowstonestereoviews.com/publishers/keystone.html
University of Washington Stereocard Collection.
http://content.lib.washington.edu/stereoweb/index.html
Ritzenthaler, Mary Lynn.
Photographs: Archival Care And Management.