THE HENRY CLAY STEREOSCOPIC

American Optical Company, Scovill & Adams, Proprietors 1892-1899

First advertised in 1892 as the "The Henry Clay Hand Stereoscopic Camera", it would be known as "The 5x7 Henry Clay Stereoscopic Camera" by 1895.

Aside from the standard 5x7 version, it was also available in 5x8 on special order. The camera shown here is equipped with Bausch & Lomb's Stereoscopic Shutter:

Bausch & Lomb Stereoscopic Shutter

The Stereoscopic Shutter is correct for this camera, which as an option could also have been factory-equipped with a Bausch & Lomb Unicum Triplicate Shutter:

Bausch & Lomb Unicum Triplicate Shutter with a Rochester Optical & Camera Company badge

For more information on both these shutters, see the "Shutters" section of this website.

The example shown here is missing its carry handle and its lens standard-mounted viewfinder. It's a post-1896 model, based upon the Bausch & Lomb Stereoscopic Shutter (versus a Prosch Triplex Stereoscopic Shutter), tapered bellows (versus square), low mounted brass track rails (versus elevated wooden) and a lens board-mounted (versus a body-mounted) viewfinder. These differences can be seen in engravings appearing in early-to-late 1890's factory catalogues.

An ivoroid label tacked to the front of the extension track reads "Henry Clay, Manufactured by the Scovill & Adams Co. of New York". The Henry Clay Stereoscopic was actually built by the American Optical Company, who by then was owned by Scovill & Adams.

The Henry Clay Stereoscopic was also marketed as the Stereo Montauk or the Stereoscopic Montauk in 5x7 and 5x8, as engravings from G. Gennert's The Montauk Catalogue 1900 are identical to it. The similarities are evident in the shutter, carry handle, lens standard construction and the track hardware.

The Henry Clay Stereoscopic is considered quite rare, with only a handful of examples known to exist.

From Scovill's The American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1898

From Scovill's The American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1899

From G. Gennert's Montauk Catalogue for 1900

From G. Gennert's Montauk Catalogue for 1900

From G. Gennert's Montauk Catalogue for 1900