PAUL WING JR.
A Stereo Giant
1913 - 2002 (89 yrs)
by Ray Zone
Now, Paul Wing, a true giant in the field of stereography has shuffled off the standard mortal interocular for hyperstereo glories elsewhere. Paul passed away on March 7, 2002 two days before his 89th birthday. The importance of Paul Wing in contemporary stereography cannot be overstated. Paul was a veteran of more than a half century of stereoscopy and was one of only four Lifetime Members in the Stereoscopic Society of America (SSA). Member number 385 in the SSA, Paul was an internationally recognized master stereographer and the author of "Stereoscopes: The First One Hundred Years," (Transition Publishing: 1996), the definitive history on the subject and one which will undoubtedly remain so for a long time to come. In 1997 Paul graciously inscribed a copy of his book for me: "To Ray Zone, 3-D Enthusiast!" "If 3-D is involved, I am interested," wrote Paul in the 1999 - Year Book of the SSA. "As a photographer I have enjoyed making pairs with other than normal eye spacing from close up (birds and flowers) to miles away (aerial hypers)."
1990 John Dennis, Paul Wing and Susan Pinsky National Stereo Assn Manchester NH by Thomas Atkins Gillam
1990 National Stereoscopic Assn. Manchester NH Aug Paul Wings exhibits
by Susan Pinsky 1
As a collector of stereographic views, viewers and cameras, a stereo historian and a practicing stereo photographer, Paul was unique. When it came to 3-D, Paul did it all. A few years ago, along with Ron Labbe and Dan Gosch, Paul exhibited his stereo photography at an art gallery in Boston. I remember a great stereo slide-show on Old China that Paul presented at the NSA Convention in San Diego in 1997. The images were copied in a pristine manner from old stereoviews and Paul's commentary was a delight.
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I first contacted Paul in 1987 at the suggestion of Susan Pinsky. Paul graciously lent me dupes of French tissue 'Diableries' which I printed in a comic book called "3-D Danse Macabre." Paul has written several definitive articles on the subject in the pages of Stereo World. Paul has also unfailingly assisted me with research into the history of stereodrawing. His fund of historical information on stereography was practically limitless.
1990 NSA Manchester NH Aug Paul Wings exhibits by Susan Pinsky 4
1990 NSA Manchester NH Aug Paul Wings exhibits by Susan Pinsky 5
Most recently, I was delighted when Paul joined the SSA Speedy Alpha I and II folios where everybody benefited from the views Paul enclosed as well as his informed and funny comments on their work. Some of the views Paul sent around were stereocards of his children that he had made in the 1940s! Of course, they were very well executed and composed.
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The Speedy folios are limited to only 12 participants so the views make a rather quick circuit. I treasure the stereo view sleeves on which Paul has inscribed his comments about my views in a rather spidery hand. "There are a number of things I could say," wrote Paul regarding a hyperstereo card with wide separation I sent around in 1999. "I free vision pairs with even wider separation, but I think butting two 3 1/2" squares together is going too far!"
Summit Mount Cook by Paul Wing Jr
1983 Buxton UK International Stereo Union Group by Susan Pinsky
A Morsel From Papa by Paul Wing.Jr
For another radical hyperstereo card I had sent, Paul actually made a corrected version of the card and enclosed it in the sleeve. "I marvel that none of you mentioned having a bit of trouble viewing this," he observed. But Paul's comments were always instructive and encouraging. "I look to your envelope for something really different," he wrote most recently.
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We all looked to Paul Wing for something really different. He was a stereographic fount of invention and history. He will be more than missed. He is irreplaceable in the pantheon of stereography. As I write, it's very likely that Paul is now setting up a stereo photograph (in some radiant new medium). And he is undoubtedly creating a stereo base that is measurable in light years, parsecs instead of inches.
Ice Sculpture by Paul Wing Jr
Pinup ice sculpture by Paul Wing, Jr
1978 ISU York Convention Paul Wing Abram Klooswijk and Harry zur Kleinsmiede by Charlie Piper
1984 Paul Wing Jr MA working on his book "Stereoscopes: The First 100 Years"
by Susan Pinsky
1992_10_30 David Burder, Paul Wing Jr, David Starkman and Susan Pinsky
daguerreotype taken in the original method by Robert Shlaer
1990 Paul Wings stereo Collection in his home Hingham MA by Susan Pinsky
1980 Stereo Club of So Calif Hollywood judging with Paul Wing, Susan Pinsky and John Tinay by David Starkman
1979 Paul Wing, Jr. viewer display 2 at Photographic Society of America convention, Hartford, CT by Susan Pinsky
1979 Paul Wing, Jr. viewer display at Photographic Society of America convention, Hartford, CT by David Starkman
Lenticular Portrait by David Burder
This stereo image was taken by from a lenticular transparency from two different angles. The original 8"x10" lenticular of David Starkman, Paul Wing and Susan Pinsky was taken by David Burder at his home in London, UK on May 6, 1991. The camera used was an instantaneous portrait lenticular camera made by Maurice Bonnet, Paris, France in the late 1940s or early 1950s. This particular camera had 20 prisms with a focusing lens behind them, all converging on the lenticular screen, in front of the 8"x10" sheet film, at the back of the camera. With 20 viewpoints, rather than the more usual 4, 8, or 12 lenses of more compact lenticular 3-D cameras, the end results are the most rounded lenticular 3-D images we have seen, with a wider array of correct viewpoints.
We three Americans were all in England for the Stereoscopic Society Convention in Southport. David Burder had recently acquired this camera, and the three of us were VERY happy to pose for a lenticular portrait! Burder chose the flag as a backdrop, and Susan chose some props to add 3-D interest, and also to provide something interesting for future viewers, who might be viewing this image 50 or 100 years from now. They may not know the subjects, but they will wonder about the wood stereo viewer, litttle magic bank and stereo camera!
1989 at Harvey Prever Studio 20-prism Bonnet camera for creating high quality lenticular portraits taken August by Susan Pinsky
1983 International Stereoscopic Union congress in Buxton UK
Bus Full of 3-D Nuts by Susan Pinsky.
1983 ISU Buxton Paul Wing looking in simple orange card viewer
by Susan Pinsky
1964 New York Worlds Fair aerial shot by Paul Wing 1
American Airlines STEWARDESS Jan 1953 by Paul Wing
1986 Karl Heinz-Hatle with his stereo tower at Paris Congress by Paul Wing
1985 Group shot at International Stereoscopic Union congress in Wash DC
by David Starkman
1990 Bournemouth UK Paul Wing Jr and Susan Pinsky April Stereoscopic Society convention by David Starkman
1984 NSA Board Wheelers, Dennis, Weiler, Griscom, Waldsmiths, Wing and Tex Treadwell Manchester NH July 2 by Susan Pinsky
1990 Ulrich Figge with the Leep studio set-up shooting Paul and Clare Wing's portrait in their house by Susan Pinsky
Angel Arch Canyonlands Sep 1989 by Paul Wing
1985 Leep Camera owned by Paul Wing, Jr. at the International Stereoscopic Union congress Wash DC by Susan Pinsky
NOT TOO THICK PLEASE Madeira 1979 by Paul Wing
Feeding pigeons London by Paul Wing Jun 1971
1991 Paris France Judy Fentress and Paul Wing Jr Inter Stereo Union banquet by David Starkman
1982 Paul Wing Jr and David Starkman in San Jose at National Stereoscopic Assn. convention by Susan Pinsky
Leep 4th of July Parade by Paul Wing Jr
David Hutchison, Paul Wing and Steve Aubrey in New York
1990_07_xx NSA Manchester NH Pauline Sweezey being serenaded
by Paul Wing Jr by Susan Pinsky
Grand Canyon by Paul Wing
Eastern Silver Falcon Airplane 1952 by Paul Wing
1984 Paul Wing Jr Hingham MA 3-D collection by Susan Pinsky
1990 Clare Wing playing piano with Paul playing recorder with 3D viewer in Hingham MA 2 by David Starkman.
Thailand Girls Dec 1989 by Paul Wing
Jon Golden, Louis King, Paul Wing and Ron Labbe by Dr George Themelis
1990 Ulrich Figge with the Leep studio set-up shooting Ron Labbe and Michele Duran at Paul Wing Jr.'s house by Susan Pinsky
1964 New York Worlds Fair aerial shot by Paul Wing 4
Scenic by Paul Wing
Inverted Parasols by Paul Wing, Jr.
1995_09_xx Paul Wing Jr at Atlanta GA National Stereo Assn-Inter. Stereo Union joint convention by David Burder
1990 Ron Labbe, Guy Ventoulliac and Paul Wing LEEP image by Ulrich Figge
1964 New York World's Fair aerial shot by Paul Wing Jr 2
1984 Paul Wing Jr and David Starkman with Taxiphot in Hingham MA
by Susan Pinsky
1992_10_30 Visiting Paul Wing Jr in Hingham MA David Burder is looking into an Ives Chromscop by Susan Pinsky
1994 Paul Wing and Marshall Lapp in May at Marshall's by Lou Smaus
Female switchboard operator by Paul Wing, Jr
1992 Susan Pinsky, Sam Kitrosser, David Burder, Paul Wing, Dottie and Vivian Walworth by David Starkman
Pilot GH Young DC-6 to NY 1950 by Paul Wing, Jr.
PAUL WING, JR. a Hingham, MA resident for the past 58 years, a noted engineer and stereo photographer, died on Friday, March 8, 2002 at his home. He was 2 days short of being 89.
Mr. Wing was born in Sandwich, MA and graduated in 1934 with a degree in Chemical Engineering from MIT, where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He had been a leading specialist in the design and application of process control valves throughout a 48 year career in instrumentation, and was a Fellow of the Instrument Society of America.
Mr. Wing is known internationally for his stereoscopic slides and prints, and for his expertise in all aspects of stereography. He was a member and past president of The International Stereoscopic Union (ISU), and was a member of Great Britain's Stereoscopic Society for nearly 50 years. He was named a fellow of the National Stereoscopic Association in 1985, and served on the Board of Directors. He received a Special Outstanding Stereographer Award in 1990 from
NSA, and a Life Membership and Life Achievement Award from the Stereoscopic Society American Branch. He was also a Fellow in the Third Dimension Society of Great Britain, a founder and charter member of the Photographic Historical Society of New England, and a member of Stereo New England.
A member since 1967, and fellow of the Photographic Society of America, Mr. Wing was also the author of numerous articles and the book Stereoscopes: The First One Hundred Years, published in 1996.
He leaves his wife, Clare (Morse) Wing of Hingham, a son, Paul Wing, III of Albany, New York and a daughter Anne Decker of Chestnut Hill. He was the brother of Frank Wing, Ada Wing, the late Virginia Blake and the late Barbara Slocum. Also survived by four grandchildren.
1964 New York World's Fair aerial shot by Paul Wing, Jr 3
1948 Paul Wing instrument exposition
1980 Paul Wing Quill Lake New Zealand
Bryce National Park by Paul Wing Aerial_111
1985 ISU Arlington VA Paul Wing Jr in ISU sweater
by David Starkman
Church along the Rhine 2 by Paul Wing
1980 Paul Wing with kids in Beijing
1958 Paul Wing photo setup
Along the Rhine 2 by Paul Wing
1992_05_28 Telford UK Stereo Society meeting Paul Wing teaching hyperstereo shooting by Susan Pinsky
1990_06_30 NSA Manchester NH Bob Brackett with his duel stereo projector and Paul Wing Jr by Louis Smaus
1992 Paul Wing with his basement cabinet by Susan Pinsky
1990_06_30 NSA Manchester NH Paul Wing Jr and others
by Louis Smaus
1990_06_30 NSA Manchester NH Paul Wing Jr, Pat Whitehouse
with Col. Melvin Lawson
by Louis Smaus
1990 Paul Wing Jr Feb by Ron Labbe
It's been a tough year for stereography.
Within the past year we've lost several important long-time stereographers. Charles Piper, author of the "The Technical Page" for the 3D News of the Stereo Club of Southern California (SCSC), left us late in 2001.
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George Skelley, veteran stereo photographer and maker of stereo mounts as well as a NSA, SCSC and ISU member followed shortly after Charlie. Then Earl Colgan, a beloved and very active international stereo photographer, passed away 2 weeks prior to his 98th birthday in February 2002.
1992_10_30 Daguerreotype shot setup of David Starkman, Paul Wing Jr and David Burder by Susan Pinsky
1989 Paul Wing Jr. and Ron Labbe pulling his ears at National Stereoscopic Assn convention Portland OR by Susan Pinsky
Despite six decades of experience in stereography Paul was never limited in his approach. In a recent SSA folio I sent around a stereocard that was a "blinker," in which 2-step animation could be created by alternately closing and opening the left and right eyes. Some stereographers might consider this a radical or inappropriate use of the medium. But Paul enthusiastically responded by sending in the next folio historical notes and a blinker that had been created in 1870.
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Paul was first intrigued with stereocards in the early 1920s and by the time he finished high school during the Great Depression he was making "cha cha," stereo photographs using side-step with a [2D] Kodak Brownie camera. In the 1940s, Paul met Dr. Philip Batchelder, a stereo collector and a member of the American Branch of the Stereoscopic Society of Great Britain. "It opened a New World," Paul wrote in the foreword to his book on stereoscopes. "After a visit to his home, I couldn't sleep all night. His collection of [stereo] views and viewers, neatly presented in a special room, overwhelmed me."
1990 NSA Manchester NH Aug Paul Wings exhibits by Susan Pinsky 2
1990 NSA Manchester NH Aug Paul Wings exhibits by Susan Pinsky 3
1983 Paul Wing playing for 3-D show (David Burder at end of row) at Buxton International Stereoscopic Union Congress Sept by Susan Pinsky
StereoscopeS:
The First One Hundred Years
by Paul Wing
Author Paul Wing has more than half a century of experience as a stereo photographer and collector of unusual stereoscopes and stereoscope patents. In "Stereoscopes: The First One Hundred Years" he shares with us a cornucopia of 2-D and 3-D photos of rare stereoscopes, patent drawings, engravings, and early advertisements. The easy-to-read text is enhanced by numerous examples scarcely known outside a small group of collectors and museum curators.
This book embarks upon a marvelous journey in time, from the earliest simple model stereoscopes to daguerreotype viewing cases, stereographoscopes, Taxiphotes, and more elaborate viewers resplendent in materials representing the technologies and styles of the period examined.
More than 700 superb photographs (many in 3-D), engravings, patent drawings and period advertisements illustrate the variety of forms that this optical instrument has taken. A fascinating and detailed text, extensive captions, appendices, glossary, and index provide a complete history of the stereoscope, its technology, its variations and its collectors, and for the first time, presents a comprehensive history of the 3-D viewing device, the stereoscope, rather than the stereo image. To the rest of us, it may provide an inspiration to begin our own collections (or to know more about what we have already collected), and the opportunity to own the world's finest collection of stereoscopes - if only on paper. For the historian, librarian, collector, or enthusiast, this book will become an invaluable and enjoyable reference on the subject.
Susan Pinsky and David Starkman
Proprietors, Reel 3-D Enterprises, Inc.
Culver City, California
October, 1996
Paul Wing Jr conducting hyper workshop at Stereoscopic Society convention
by Susan Pinsky
1991 David Burder in France taken with the Leep camera by Paul Wing, Jr
