Clarke E. Leverette Collection

Stereographic Cards

The production of stereoscopic views became a colossal commercial industry in the nineteenth century. Through the use of twin photographs and a customized viewer, they had the ability of recreating the illusion of depth. Stereocards were sold for a variety of purposes; however, they became a staple in the souvenir market.

The Clarke E. Leverette Collection is a significant and comprehensive stereoscopic collection with thousands of stereoviews produced by world renowned publishers such as Underwood & Underwood and the Kilburn Brothers.

While the Clarke E. Leverette Collection depicts a wide variety of subjects, including views of the University of Guelph, portraits, and travel views from across the globe, a significant portion of the collection includes travel views of Scotland and souvenirs specifically dedicated to Scottish travel.

The collection consists of nineteenth and early-twentieth-century stereoscopic cards, Viewmaster stereoscopic picture cards and Kodachrome (1940s-1980s), issues of "Stereo World" magazine (1974-1980), indexes, articles, price lists, and catalogues for stereographics created in the United States, photographs, and various other related published material.

Over 7000 stereoscopic cards and approximately 132 cm of textual and graphic material. 

This collection is available for viewing on-site in Archival & Special Collections during our regular business hours.