Ian Ference's 3D blog on all things stereographic, from classic scopes & stereoviews to historical context & modern analysis
One of the parcels which arrived on "Christmas in July" two days ago contained a wooden box - with about 500 amateur glass stereoviews contained within. Today, we take a look at two boxes at random, in an attempt to determine what this acquisition consists of, who might have taken it, and whether it is, indeed, a cohesive collection, as opposed to a random pile of amateur glass.
Unlike our previous "Christmas present" from Tru Vue, this 1933 filmstrip is not a creepy, low-budget romp through a garage and then a weird scene in a little girl's darkened living room. Rather, it is a fairly interesting peek into messaging for kids during the Great Depression, with MUCH higher production value.
Apparently, in the 1930s, "Santa Claus' Workshop" was the place "Where Dreams Come True for Girls". Because every girl's dream is to receive a doll hastily slapped together in the dingy corner of a garage by a deranged bearded hobo, whose lack of contact with any actual children (or elves) might be a result of his being listed on certain registries, and whose lack of elves might just have a sinister explanation...
Excerpt from rear of card: "This man has a clown dog. Clown dogs are very smart. They are trained to do many tricks. Most clown dogs like to be with the circus even though they do have to work hard."