Keystone stereocard collection, approximately 1898-1920

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Keystone View Company
Title
Keystone stereocard collection
Dates
approximately 1898-1920 (inclusive)
Quantity
389 stereocards (2 boxes) ; 7" x 3.5"
Collection Number
PH0372
Summary
Photographs of locations around the world with the people Native to that area at home, working, or pursuing daily life in the early part of the 20th century
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

The collection is open to the public.

Request at UW

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

In 1892 the Keystone View Company was started in Meadville, Pennsylvania by B.L. Singley. The company's primary focus was to create a wide range of stereocards and by 1905 it was the largest stereographic company in the world. Keystone created and distributed millions of stereocards throughout the United States. In 1898 they organized an education department that produced boxed sets for school instruction. These sets included images and descriptive text illustrating culture, industry, commerce and politics world-wide. Stereocard sets were all marked by a letter. Customers could buy stereocards by the box. Boxes were shaped like books and contained 50, 100, or 200 stereocards. Though cinema took over as the most popular entertainment medium, the Keystone Company continued to produce stereocards until 1972 when it went out of business.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The stereocards depict views from across the globe, including the Australia, Burma, Canada, China, Fiji Islands, France, Guam, Jamaica, Java, Korea, Monaco, New Guinea, Palestine, Philippines, Russia, Syria, Switzerland, the USA, series of miscellaneous story cards depicting a wedding, a dream, and other topics.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Alternative Forms Available

View selections from the collection in digital format

Restrictions on Use

Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Donor: Sarah Hood, May 2008 (seven stereocards of the hemp industry in Manila, Philippines).

Donor: Charles Hart, March 1, 2017 (two stereocards).

Processing Note

Processed by Aletheia Wittman, 2011; Erin Bailey 2012; Melody Hauf 2012; processing completed 2012.

Many of these stereocards were transferred from PH Collection 31 in the Repository in 2011.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Geographic LocationsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Australia
Box item
1 A1-10
10 stereocards including views of Melbourne, Bendigo, Balaclava, New South Wales, Sydney and Warrah
Views include citizens and agricultural scenery, Jenolan Caves, and an Australian football game.
circa 1910s
Burma
Box item
1 B1-11
11 stereocards including views of Mogok, Pagan, Sagaing and Rangoon
Views include citizens working in a ruby mine, agricultural scenes, workers unloading rice boats, a working elephant at a lumber yard, and a sculptor creating a Buddha.
1904, 1910's
Canada
Box item
1 C1
1 stereocard of a view of Laliberte's fur parlor in Quebec
1899
China
Box item
1 CHA1-16
16 stereocards including views of Canton, Chefoo, Hong Kong, Hankow, Kinkow, Loong Wah, and Macao
Views include all classes of citizens active in city and rural life, transportation, waterways, architecture, and temples.
circa 1910s
1 CHB 1-8
8 stereocards including views of the Manchurian cities of Liaoyang, Newchwang, Dainy, and Port Arthur
Views of citizens living and working in cities, rural life, and temples.
circa 1910s
1 CHC 1-17
17 stereocards including views of Mukden, Manchuria
Views of all classes of citizens active in city and rural life, the Mongolian Spring Festival, temples, pack trains, and architecture.
circa 1910s
1 CHD 1-6
6 stereocards including views relating to the Japanese occupation in Manchuria
Views include images relating to the Japanese occupation, including troops, citizens at a battleground, and refugees.
circa 1910s
1 CHE 1-8
8 stereocards including views of Manchuria
Views include citizens in rural life, robbers in prison, coal making near the Hun river, Chinese Eastern Railroad, and architecture.
circa 1910s
1 CHF 1-25
25 stereocards including views of Nankin, Ningpo, and Peking
Views include activities of all classes of citizens, political figures, transportation, temples, architecture, and areas in and around the Imperial City.
circa 1910s
1 CHG 1-11
11 stereocards including views of Reel, Shanghai, Shankiwan, and Soo-chow
Views include all classes of citizens active in city and rural life, rice fields, waterways, architecture, interior of a tea house, and fishing in the Grand Canal.
circa 1910s
1 CHH 1-7
7 stereocards including views of Tientsin and Taku
Views include all classes of citizens active in city and rural life, transportation, waterways, and architecture.
1900-1909
1 CHI 1-6
6 stereocards including miscellaneous views of China
Views of foot binding, a religious woman, a sampan, chain-gang, rice field, and agriculture.
circa 1910s
Fiji Islands
Box item
1 F1-2
2 stereocards with views including two men in Suva and a hilltop landscape
circa 1910s
France
Box item
1 FR1
Clemenceau, Wilson and Lloyd George leaving the Palace of Versailles after signing the Treaty of Versailles
circa 1919
Guam
Box item
1 G1-15
15 stereocards including views of Agana, Agat, Mariso, Pitt, and Sumai
Views of citizens traveling by bull cart, water buffalo, village homes, and an outdoor oven.
circa 1910s
Jamaica
Box item
1 J1-2 circa 1910s
Java
Box item
1 JA 1-10
10 stereocards including views of Buitenzorg, Lake Bagendit, and Tanjoen
Views include citizens fishing, rice cultivation, men carrying coconuts, and the botanical gardens.
circa 1910s
Korea
Box item
1 KA1-7
7 stereocards including views of citizens working at Fusan and Port of Chemulpo
Chosen appears on many cards, and is a Japanese name for Korea that also appeared in English sources when Korea was under Japanese rule 1910-1945.
circa 1910s
1 KB1-25
25 stereocards including views of Seoul
Views of working class citizens, farmers, architecture, transportation of goods, railways, the Han river, school children, missions, and an orphanage.Chosen appears on many cards, and is a Japanese name for Korea that also appeared in English sources when Korea was under Japanese rule 1910-1945
circa 1910s
2 KC1-12
12 stereocards including views of Seoul
Views include citizens of middle and upper class aristocracy and their activities, transportation by sedans, and architecture.Chosen appears on many cards, and is a Japanese name for Korea that also appeared in English sources when Korea was under Japanese rule 1910-1945.
circa 1910s
2 KD1-17
17 stereocards including views of citizens engaged in religious events and activities in Seoul
Views of citizens in a wedding, burial, at kings tomb, religious ceremonies, and religious architecture.Chosen appears on many cards, and is a Japanese name for Korea that also appeared in English sources when Korea was under Japanese rule 1910-1945.
circa 1910s
Monaco
Box item
2 M1
1 tinted stereocard view of flower beds at the Monte Carlo casino
1900
New Guinea
Box item
2 N1-15
15 stereocards including views citizens in villages
Views include villages and families, preparation of food, and an English mission.
circa 1910s
Palestine
Box item
2 P1
1 stereocard landscape view of the Garden of Gethsemane and Mount of Olives in Jerusalem
circa 1910s
Phillippines
Box item
2 PHA1-10
10 stereocards including views of Cavite and Cebu
Views of citizens and their activities in villages and markets, at a saw mill, in the hemp industry, surrounding a cock fight, and boys in a boat on the beach.
circa 1910s
2 PHB1-10
10 stereocards including views of Luzon Island
Views of citizens in villages, on waterways, Malolos, the man Aguinaldo, the famous Insurrecto the Filipino constabulary.
circa 1910s
2 PHC1-10
10 stereocards including rural views and citizens in Manila, Luzon Island
Views include children at school, a hunter, farmers, human bones in a grave, a parade ground, and citizens at their homes.
circa 1910s
2 PHD1-21
21 stereocards including agricultural views in Manila, Luzon Island
Views include citizens working with hemp, coconut, and cigarette making industries.
1906, 1910's
2 PHE1-7
7 stereocards including waterway views of Manila, Luzon Island
Views include citizens living and working on waterways.
circa 1910s
2 PHF1-10
10 stereocards of city scape views in Manila, Luzon Island
Views include views of architecture with citizens living and working in the city of Manila.
circa 1910s
2 PHG1-9
9 stereocards including views of Macabebe, Mindanao Island, Panay, and Paranaque
Views include citizens in their villages, a burial procession, a woman weaving, a church interior, and citizens with outrigger canoes.
circa 1910s
2 PHH1-14
14 stereocards including miscellaneous views of the Philippines
Views include citizens and their activities in village life, gathering rice seedlings, at market, an outdoor barbar shop, building a house, and US and British occupation interactions.
circa 1898, 1910s
Russia
Box item
2 R1 circa 1910s
Samoa
Box item
2 S1
1 stereocard with a view of a Samoan child at home
circa 1910s
Singapore
Box item
2 SP1
1 stereocard with a view of a tropical home in a Malay Village
circa 1910s
Sri Lanka
Box item
2 SR1
1 stereocard view of a pepper vine plantation in Ceylon
circa 1910s
Switzerland
Box item
2 SW1
1 stereocard with a view of Aare Gorge in Meiringen
1900
Syria
Box item
2 SY1 circa 1910s
United States
Box item
2 USA1-7
7 stereocards including views of Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Nebraska, South Carolina, and Texas
Views include citizens working, agricultural scenes, and the interior of Box Canyon.
circa 1910s
2 USB1-13
13 stereocards of views of Hawaii
Views include citizens at home, working in agriculture, and Little Beggar Volcano.
circa 1910s
2 USC1-10
10 stereocards of views of Honolulu, Hawaii
Views include citizens at home and working, agricultural and city scenes, boys with surfboards, and Waikiki Beach.
circa 1910s
2 USD1
Inagural ballroom decorated for the inauguration of President McKinley, Washington, D.C.
circa 1910s

Subject StereocardsReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Wedding Story
Often stories were created with multiple stereocards, and there might be up to 25 in the set.
Box item
2 W1-16
16 stereocards of a wedding story sequence
One stereocard hand colored.
1898-1901
Miscellaneous
Box item
2 Z1-10
10 stereocards including a dream story sequence, humorous bike accident, and children playing.
circa 1899

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)
  • Weddings--Photographs

Corporate Names

  • Keystone View Company--Archives

Geographical Names

  • Australia--Photographs
  • Burma--Photographs
  • Canada--Photographs
  • China--Photographs
  • Fiji--Photographs
  • Guam--Photographs
  • Jamaica--Photographs
  • Java (Indonesia)--Photographs
  • Korea--Photographs
  • Monaco--Photographs
  • New Guinea--Photographs
  • Palestine--Photographs
  • Philippines--Photographs
  • Russia--Photographs
  • Switzerland--Photographs
  • Syria--Photographs
  • United States--Photographs