Victorian Stereoscopy, Elliott James (c.1833-c.1901), ‘The Fairy’

© The Brian May Archive of Stereoscopy
c.1858
Digital archival fine art print hand signed by Sir Brian May
Price on Request / photography@proud.co.uk
Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity

‘The Fairy’ is an art piece by the Victorian artist Elliott James, who lived during the 19th century. The artwork was produced with stereoscopy in mind, so James was likely conscious about the sense of depth and dimensionality in the image. As the title suggests, we see a depiction of a fairy, a mythical and fantastical creature often associated with magic and wonder. The Victorian era aligned with a period of great fascination with folklore, mythology, and the supernatural, and these themes often found their way into the art and literature of the period.

The choice of subject matter, combined with the use of stereoscopy, would have made ‘The Fairy’ a captivating and immersive experience for viewers of its time. It is intriguing to consider how this artwork, when presented in 3D, may have excited and enchanted Victorian audiences, giving them a glimpse into a magical world through a somewhat magical form of media for its time.

Some time in 1854, at 313 Oxford Street, the 'London Stereoscope Company' was born, and under the leadership of Managing Partner George Swan Nottage, by 1856 the company had changed its name, to 'The London Stereoscopic Company”' and finally in May 1859 assumed the name it was to retain for years to come: the 'London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company'.

Their business was selling stereo views and viewers to the public, and they were leaders in a boom – a craze - which swept England, Europe, and eventually the United States too, of stereo photographs of every conceivable subject, which, viewed by means of a stereoscope, presented scenes in life-like three dimensions. In a world which had never experienced Television, the Movies, or the Internet, this was understandably a revelation. In February 1856, the London Stereoscopic Company (LSC) advertised, in the Photographic Journal, 'The largest collection in Europe, upwards of 10,000' stereo views.

Much of the workings of the LSC in its early years is still shrouded in mystery, and the relationship it had with the pioneering photographers whose work it published remains unclear, but the company was evidently at a peak of production by the end of the 1850s; today’s collections of the finest cards from this period by James Elliott, Alfred Silvester, Mark Anthony, Charles Goodman, and many others always contain large numbers of examples bearing the familiar blindstamps of the LSC. In the 1860s, one of the LSC’s notable publications of stereo cards was a long series depicting the interior of the 1862 International Exhibition, in what is now Exhibition Road, South Kensington.

All Queen and Victorian fine art prints are selected and hand-signed by Sir Brian May, and are accompanied by a gallery certificate of authenticity, a Queen stereo card pack and a Lite Owl Viewer, designed by Brian May.

Watch / Sir Brian May's Exhibition Trailer
Watch / Sir Brian May at Proud Galleries, London
Watch / Preview of The Stereoscopic Mosaic Wall
Watch / ITV on Sir Brian May
Watch / BBC on Sir Brian May
Watch / Sir Brian May’s Stereoscopy is Good For You
Watch / Sir Brian May's Queen Will Rock You in 3-D
About / Fine Art Prints for Sale
Visit / The London Stereoscopic Company
Visit / Queen's Official Website

Brian May
Daily Express
Gold Radio UK
Samachar Central
Noise 11
DIY Photography
Verve Times 
Absolute Radio

Bring inspiration into your lifestyle with Proud Galleries, we have the largest collection of authenticated, hand signed, estate embossed, limited edition and vintage photography. 

Contact us to book a viewing at our space in central London, to add any of our fine art prints to your collection or for advisory services.

• Fine art prints are editioned unless otherwise clearly indicated and come hand signed and/or embossed by the photographer or their Estate.
• Fine art prints are occasionally made to order and delivery usually takes few weeks. We can provide gift certificates in advance to delivering the artwork.
• Bespoke framing and delivery services are subject to additional fees.
• We only ship framed photography outside London or abroad when ordering a bespoke foamed wood crate.
• All the pricing listed across the website excludes V.A.T. and frame
• Proud Galleries reserves the right to amend any pricing or information.
• Sale for deliveries outside the E.U. and the U.K. operate at a zero-vat rate.