Peter Blair is the author of two books on stereoscopy and the Alps.
Chamonix Mont Blanc in 3D
– a journey through the stereoscope from the 1850s to today
NB version française aussi disponible (Chamonix Mont Blanc en 3D – un voyage à travers le stéréoscope de 1850 à nos jours)
This high quality book includes over 200 side-by-side stereoviews of the Alps and comes with a fold-out stereoviewer (Loreo Lite) with which to immerse yourself in a bygone world. Fun and informative, perfect reading for any lover of the mountains, annotated with quotes from historic visitors. Explores topics such as tourism in the Alps, wintersports, the little ice age and global warming (highlighted by some modern stereoviews by the author), the golden age of alpinism, the tour of Mont Blanc and the history of stereoscopy with concise biographies of its alpine exponents (Bisson, Braun, England, Tairraz, Savioz and Couttet). French or English versions available with a recommended price of 29 euros.
128 pages, 1kg
ISBN 978-2884-19358-0
Order your copy from the author directly at P3DB Publications
Book Review by Victor Saunders, Alpine Club Journal 2015
“What I did not know was that stereo imagery is as old as photography itself. So I was delighted to be asked to review this book which under one set of covers contains some of my favourite subjects; a history of technology, 3D images and the Chamonix Valley.
This is a coffee table book. Pleasant to hold and nicely printed. The book comes with a cunning little pop-up viewer. On each pair of pages is a paragraph or two of text and several stereo images.
Hold the viewer before you and suddenly, as if through a window in time, it comes to life.
We see the mountains and mountaineers of the Belle Époque. We see the 19th century Bossons Glacier bulging into our valley, the Argentiere Glacier reaching almost down to the church and its cemetery, the Bois Glacier (now known as the Mer de Glace ) overflowing the moraines that are now cliffs of rubble more than a hundred metres high. The climbers scramble across teetering cornices. The void beneath their boots being so much more abysmal in stereo. And among the peasants we witness the transhumance, the cows and horses and sheep of the pre-industrial Chamonix. With these views it is easy to imagine the sounds and smells of the age.
In the middle of the next century there is an astounding shot of a ski jumper, flying through the air in 1924, and captured in 3D for ever. The final stereogram is of the author, also on ski, enjoying Grandes Montets in powder. It is all very good.
The texts accompanying the photographs are often not related but always fun to read. Some are quotes from Victorian visitors. Ruskin, Byron, Turner all make their appearance here, other paragraphs describe life and times, for instance how the Bossons Glacier was mined for ice to be transported as far afield as Geneva. Yet others describe the changing technology of photography during the period. There is a serendipitous quality to the texts; they are nuggets of pleasure.
In conclusion, Peter Blair takes us on an enjoyable romp through the history of the stereoscopy, using Alpine images as the thread to hold it all together. Recommended”
Customer feedback:
“got the book today. Its phantastic! A wonderful collection of 3D views. I think a “must have” for any 3D-views collector. Thanks for the perfect transaction”
“The images are beautiful, very clear, I’m looking forward to reading the text and a proper look using the stereo viewer. I’m delighted to have this lovely book, thank you very much.”
“Thanks very much for your book. I have to say that it is stunning and the images are truly remarkable – I can see why your enthusiasm for stereographs was sparked! Perhaps of most interest to you would be the old guy at the hotel where I stayed. He is a Mt Blanc mountain guide – I would say aged 70 if he is a day. I loaned it to him for a couple of days and he was blown away – as I thought that he would be, as he knows all of the vistas”
“You have produced a very nice book, full of information for the layman but also to the specialist. Well done indeed. Hats off.”
Order your copy from the author directly at P3DB Publications
William England – Views of Switzerland – A Collector’s Catalogue
A collector’s catalogue of William England’s Views of Switzerland, a series of 3D stereoscopic photographs taken in the 1860s (some featured on this website). Provides a list of all known titles and incorporates half-dimension black and white images of over 500 of England’s stereo views, including all of the first 300 images in the series. Investigates William England’s relationship with the Alpine Club and analyses the various titles and formats produced.
Example of a typical page:
Note: published in B&W apart from the cover. As 95% of the views are on yellow card, colour would have added little but is prohibitively expensive for a print on demand book.
This specialist book will be of interest to stereoview collectors and students of early photographic history.
Order your copy from the author directly at P3DB Publications
3D Alps 