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Watson Stereo Tailboard

The Watson Stereo Tailboard is a wooden tailboard-style stereo plate camera, a 19th-century field-camera design used to capture paired images for stereoscopic viewing. Tailboard cameras of this type were typically constructed in mahogany with brass fittings and folded flat for transport.

Sales data for the Watson Stereo Tailboard is extremely thin: a single recorded UK auction hammer result of £705 from 2001 is the only reference point, so a current market value or median cannot be reliably stated as of today. Condition of the bellows, woodwork and any original lenses or plate holders has a significant effect on what these wooden stereo cameras sell for at saleroom level, and a one-off result from over twenty years ago should be treated as indicative rather than a current price guide.

Sales History

Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.

Prices updated: November 2016

Date Price Source
Nov 2016 EUR 1,600 Leitz Auction
Sep 2001 £705 Christie's
Jul 1999 £460 Christie's

Frequently asked questions

What is a Watson Stereo Tailboard worth today?

The only recorded UK auction hammer price in our data is £705, achieved in 2001, so a reliable present-day value cannot be quoted from this single data point.

How much does a Watson Stereo Tailboard sell for at auction?

Evidence is limited to one historic hammer result of £705; condition of the woodwork, bellows and lenses, plus the presence of original plate holders, would heavily influence the price a comparable example sells for now.

What affects the value of a Watson Stereo Tailboard?

Completeness (matched lenses, plate holders, focusing screen), the integrity of the bellows and mahogany body, and clear maker's markings are the main factors that determine the price such a camera achieves.