cool donation

Ok history buffs could use your help on what this is and finding worth information. It looks like an old west visor where cards of exotic areas would get clipped on.

 

Stereopticon sort of thing, missing some bits, I think.

Maybe you two should get together:

https://www.antiquers.com/threads/what-kind-of-slide-is-this-called.37377/#post-598003

 

yup....

 

Yes, Seems missing just the end part that holds the pictures (and maybe a handle)............ should be easy to make one if you're handy!

 

Above are all absolutely correct!!! They make the images you view through them kind of 3-D!! Yours needs the wire holder on the slide to slide below, and the handle below as well to hold the stereoptican!! Sometimes the handles fold down too. If you're REALLY handy you can even make your own 'old time' cards for it!!

Here's mine below.....in doing antique shops, I wound up with several incomplete and pieced mine together.....very plain....but it works!! Happy Hunting...or creating!!!

 

I think these little handheld devices are called stereoscopes. The same principle is used in some bigger viewers that a person has to look into in order to see the merged image from a stereo card.

A stereopticon is generally a projector that includes a light to project a slide. It's a different device.

 

Thanks @Figtree3 .....I stand corrected.....guess I was just repeating what I was always told!! I should remember that now!!!