THE STEREOSCOPE ITS HISTORY, THEORY, AND CONSTRUCTION, WITH ITS APPLICATION TO THE FINE AND USEFUL ARTS AND TO EDUCATION.

1st Edition, 8vo (18cm), iv, 235pp (1). text illustrations. Prize calf binding with gilt stamp of Islington Proprietary School (founded 1830) to front board. No other marks or inks. Binding has rubbing and scuffing, but no splits to the joints. Internally very clean. Contrary to a common assertion, David Brewster did not invent the stereoscope and he himself credits the invention of the device to a Mr. Elliot, a "Teacher of Mathematics" from Edinburgh, who, according to Brewster, conceived of the idea as early as 1823 and, in 1839, constructed "a simple stereoscope without lenses or mirrors", consisting of a wooden box 18 inches (46 cm) long, 7 inches (18 cm) wide, and 4 inches (10 cm) high, which was used to view drawn landscape transparencies, since photography had yet to become widespread. Brewster's personal contribution was the suggestion to use lenses for uniting the dissimilar pictures in 1849; and so the lens-based lenticular stereoscope (illustrated on p.67) may fairly be said to be his invention. This allowed a reduction in size, creating hand-held devices, which became known as Brewster Stereoscopes, much admired by Queen Victoria when they were demonstrated at the Great Exhibition of 1851.…