Keystone No. 50 Home Training Stereoscope

United States, 1950s

We’ve seen this stereoscope in several colors: blue, green, red, and tan, to name a few. But the clear color and accompanying stand is what convinced us to make this one part of our collection. These stereoscopes were created by the Keystone View Company in Meadville, PA. The company called themselves “pioneers in visual training equipment” and still exists today.

The viewer is designed to be used at home to improve vision. Typically, the viewer would be part of a set that included instructions and a specially designed set of stereoview cards. The stereoscope shaft has marks corresponding to different distances, and the cards would have numbered labels corresponding to exercises in the instruction book.