Rare Antique Microphotos

Cliché is the French stanhope maker's term referring to tiny glass microphoto squares used to make stanhopes. Our antique microphoto glass clichés were made in France in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They were discovered about 1960 and are the remains Lizé et costil (1874-1914)  &  Veuve Lizé (1915-1929) of Paris. Each microphoto cliché was made directly on the thin glass plate. Each 4 inch x 5 inch glass plate was comprised of several hundred of the same microphoto. This larger plate was then hand scored and cut to make the individual photos for use in the manufacturing of stanhopes. Each microphoto cliché is approximately 3mm x 3mm or about an 1/8" square. In most cases we have a few examples of each and as they have been stored for nearly a century, the conditions vary. Some of the clichés may have scratches or other maladies. Because microphotography is very exacting and complex, even the finest made microphotos can have faults. In general, they are very nice and certainly nice collectible photographic ephemera suitable for study or they could be used for stanhope repairs. Microphoto clichés are quite rare to find as they seldom escaped the stanhope manufacturing workshops. Certainly, they are a wonderful curiosities and unusual historic artifacts.

Our supply of clichés includes over 80 different microphoto views and we have only a few examples of each available for purchase. A few images are already sold out & are no longer available.