SELF-PHOTO ET STÉRÉO-MONDAIN

Wooden box compartmentalised to house a photographic kit containing: a stereoscopic camera without lenses or objectives, with holes separated at the standard interpupillary distance; three 45×107 mm plate-holder frames, a magnesium lighting system consisting of a metal box (with a mirrored top cover) and an extendable wooden arm for flash generation and a magnesium canister (Poudre Self-Photo). The flash system is activated by a pneumatic pump, included in the kit, plus a winder for the pump tube.

The stereoscopic camera is attached by a hinge to the base of the box, so that it can move freely only in one direction of rotation, in order to insert the frame with the negative (glass or paper) and generate the photo.

The focusing system is preset to the focal length required for self-portrait or close-up image capturing close to the pinhole box for image capture.

Emile Chasseraux generated a series of patents related to photography, such as the Luminographe (reversible chronophonographic camera that could be used both for filming and projecting) – Patent of 17/04/1896. For its exploitation, he joined forces with Pierre Gauden and Ferdinand Bellet to form the company Chasseraux et Cie in the same year.

In connection with the SELF-PHOTO ET STÉRÉO-MONDAIN, on 13 June 1922, Chasseraux submitted to the French National Office of Intellectual Property a photographic kit similar to the one described above, with monoscopic camera, which included a series of instructions and similar equipment.

It should be pointed out that the fashion of taking selfies or self-portraits with the mobile phone, which is so fashionable nowadays, already had its antecedents more than 100 years ago, as the kit we present to you shows.