Eugene Français Stereo Camera

Eugene Francais
Paris, France
ca. 1890

Ex-collection AntiQ-Photo

This handsome French stereo camera is a recent addition to my collection. It is in remarkable, original condition. It’s clear to me that Eugene Francais took great pride in his work.

E. Français Paris was the brand of Jean Pierre Emile Français. In his younger years he was an apprentice to famed French opticien, Charles Louis Chevalier. Francais founded his own company in 1866 and offered a wide variety of high quality brass lenses.

This beautiful stereoscopic “chambre” dates to circa 1890. It’s crafted of old mahogany with assembly by tenons and mortices. It consists of two bodies joined by a burgundy leather bellows taking place on a trolley. The front body contains a shutter/optical block that can move on the rails of the trolley, thanks to a system of buttons acting on sprockets and racks. The shutter is of the curtain type and the matching lenses are “Rectilineaires No. 1A” signed E. Francais and bearing the consecutive numbers 18984 and 18985. The rear body is closed by an articulated shutter. The latter has an opening itself closed by a small rocking shutter that is used during focusing. The rear body contains a frame carrying the frosted glass. It has a brass carrying handle and an air bubble water level. Made around 1890.