As part of the Royal Photographic Society’s Historical Group‘s series of talks looking at historical collections of photography, photographic archives, and those working with historical and alternative processes, this talk: Exchanging Views with the Stereoscopic Exchange Club and the United Stereoscopic Society explored the history of two stereoscopic exchanges clubs, each formed about half a century apart, in 1859 and 1904, after collections of their images have been discovered in the Brian May Archive of Stereoscopy (BMAS) and the Howarth Loomes Collection at National Museums Scotland (NMS). The talk was introduced by Dr David Barber, photo-historian and RPS Historical Group secretary, and hosted by Dr. Michael Pritchard, photographic historian, researcher and expert, and the RPS Historical Group’s Communications Officer.

The recording of the talk is now uploaded to the Royal Photographic Society’s YouTube channel (please click on the image below for a redirection to the video):

Whilst one club was short-lived and the other was one of the most successful of its kind for over 60 years, the presentations provided a contrast to the different approaches to the exchange of photographs between amateur photographers, including bringing members ‘back to life’ to share their opinions.

Rebecca Sharpe ARPS shared the Stereoscopic Exchange Club’s foundations, trials and tribulations, as well as successes through its correspondence, whilst highlighting some of its members and their life stories. The presentation exclusively included stereoscopic photographs from a rediscovered set belonging to a member of the club, and explored further into the collections of BMAS to discover images taken by other members.

Julie Gibb took the story into the 20th century and shared the work of the United Stereoscopic Society (USS). Formed in 1904 by Albert J Snow, the society boasted an international membership who were keen to share their enthusiasm for stereophotography with the wider photographic community. Julie focused on a set of stereo photographs in the Howarth Loomes collection created by USS member J W Vaisey that give a valuable and humorous insight into the exchange aspect of the society.

Please note, the presentations included side-by-side (mostly) parallel-view stereoscopic images. Viewing them in 3-D can be possible either by free-viewing, or with a stereoscope, such as the London Stereoscopic Company’s OWL, however, this is not essential to enjoy the images.

Title image: Frank Howard, Burnham Beeches, ca.1860, stereoscopic albumen print photograph on card, part of the Louis D’Elboux Stereoscopic Exchange Club set. Collection of the Brian May Archive of Stereoscopy, reproduced with kind permission.

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