Name/TitleStereoscope ‘Le Minimus’
About this objectLe Minimus is a compact manual multi-view stereoscope that holds 24 glass slides. Turning the knobs on the sides moves the front panel outward, allowing a slide to drop into position before the lenses. Further rotation transfers the viewed slide to a storage compartment below, and the next slide moves into place. Once all slides have been viewed, inverting the device resets them to their original position. The slides can be stored in removable boxes that can be placed on top of the viewer so that the views can slide into the box, allowing for quick and efficient slide replacement. A 6x13cm version was also available.
In-depth information on ‘Le Minimus’ and Bize can be found on André Ruiter’s blog: Minimus
Place MadeFrance
MakerBize, Lucien
Maker RoleManufacturer
Date Made1908–1915
Series TitleMinimus
TechniqueMulti-view
TechniqueFocus, lens tubes
Period1893–1939
Subject and Association DescriptionLucien Albert Bize was a pioneer in compact stereoscope innovation in early 20th-century France. Introduced in 1908 alongside ‘Le Multiphote’ and ‘Le Phénix’, it features an ingenious simple mechanism. Bize’s stereoscopes were initially manufactured by Maison Gustave Jacob in Paris until Jacob’s bankruptcy in 1911. Production continued under Bize until he sold his company to Robert Pleyau in 1913. The manufacturing of Bize’s stereoscopes likely ceased during World War I.
Format45x107mm
Object TypeStereoscope
Subject and Association KeywordsFR 374970 (L. Bize, S. Claparede, 1907)
Medium and MaterialsGlass slides
Object numberM‑ST014
Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved
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