A History of German Industry in 3D: The Pendoplast / Stereo-foto Sub-collection
Pendoplast Stereo Viewer
“The stereoscopic viewing device can be used for all purposes, e.g., for nature shots of all kinds, but especially for film recordings for industry and trade as advertising for the demonstration of factory facilities, goods, etc.”
That was part of the description Heinz Julius Beez out of Stuttgart, Germany, included in his patent application for the Pendoplast stereoscope design in 1929. The devices were intended for companies to use as a “business card.” He was eventually granted patent #541794 on January 18, 1932 and today, Pendoplast metal, chain-driven 3D film viewers exist as 3D documentation of factories and workers in prominent companies in 1930s Germany. Not surprisingly for 1930s Germany, you will sometimes see Hitler and Nazi symbols and/or photos on the walls of some of the factories in the Pendoplast viewers. On occasion, you’ll find the metal case of the Pendoplast made with wood and painted black — undoubtedly, due to metal shortages.
Stereo-foto
More color, more ergonomic design
Twenty years later, in the 1950s, Stereo-foto (Weizsäcker, also in Stuttgart) continued the mission of convincing companies to buy into documenting their factories and facilities in 3D for marketing purposes. They succeeded with some very well-known brands such as Daimler Benz, Volkswagen, and Voigtländer, and would occasionally brand the viewer with a company’s nameplate. Using the same chain-driven advance mechanism, these 2nd generation viewers added new flair and visual appeal with upgraded features and colors, as well as some color stereo photography. One of their viewer styles very closely resembled the earlier Pendoplast but came in fun colors and had an easier-to-grip film advance knob. The other Stereo-foto style (shown at center of above photo) came in light gray with fancy chrome detailing, allowed the lenses to be collapsed into the viewer for protection, and had an even larger advance knob.
So, show me the factories!
Ok! We’re excited to give you a glimpse into the factories of 21 mid-century German companies — some of which still exist today — to see their tooling, machinery, workers, departments, products, and more. For now, the pictures are in 2D only but we’ll eventually get them up in 3D. Have fun! And be sure to also visit the Pendoplast and Stereo-foto main pages to learn more about the different viewer styles and designs.