Eight Little Maidens Flying to the Moon.

Reproduced from original in the Collection of Gary Kessel by Stereo Classic Studios in 1978. This image originally published by French Stereo Publisher in 1895.

This is a stereoview (also known as a stereograph or stereoscope card). It was one of the first forms of 3D photography. The images were captured with a special stereoscopic camera, which had two lenses - simulating the view of our left and right eyes. The two, nearly identical pictures were then mounted next to each other (most commonly on a piece of cardstock, glued on as photographs or printed as lithographs). The image could then be seen in three dimensions when viewed through a device known as a stereoscope, stereopticon, and/or televiewer.

Standard-size stereograph, measuring about 3.5 x 7 inches.