R. Y. Young Company

Stereoscopes by R. Y. Young Company

Roddo Y. Young was the owner of The American Stereoscopic Company located at 725 - 727 Broadway, New York City and offices in London, England. The company was in business from 1896 to about 1906. Viewers resemble the later Underwood models but were made by the H. C. White Company and were sold under the trade name "Mercury" Several varieties of stereoscopes were sold including all wood and wood and aluminum models. The logo for the American Stereoscopic Company was a globe and will be found at the center of the hood.

Here is a picture of a typical Mercury stereoscope made about 1903

A specialty for Young was the sale of tissue views and he had a special viewer produced that was used for tissue as well as regular curved views. It was a basic H. C. White viewer with a adjustable paper sliding Brewster box attachment Named "The Stereo Gothard" and stamped "American Stereoscopic Company, 725 Broadway, NY, NY." Some viewers may also contain "R. Y. Young" and also bear the "Mercury" label.

The American Stereoscopic Company produced lantern slides, tissue views and curved mount stereoviews. In later years they produced a number of lithographs. Shown below are examples of a tissue view and a regular stereoview.

The Company was sold to the Keystone View Company about 1907. I have a oak cased tour of the world set of 100 views produced by Keystone that contains 20 ASC views. These views are on the same card stock and have the same Keystone curve. It is likely that Keystone sold the set this way to dispose of the excess inventory.