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The Official Web Site of the State of South Carolina

Artifact of the Week: Holmes Stereoscope

artifact of the week holmes stereoscope artifact
Fri, 11/13/2020

The Holmes Stereoscope was the most popular photo viewer of the 19th century.  It was invented patent-free by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr, father of the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. This viewer was used by Lula Hillhouse of Anderson in the 19th century.

viewfinder of the stereoscope

stereoscope shown from the side