The Great War in Stereoviews

Service des Ventes de l’Union Nationale des Combattants (SDV)

The Union Nationale des Combattants was established shortly after the Armistice in November 1918. It still exists to maintain a perpetual memory of those who fought in France’s wars. A Sellers’ Service (Service des Ventes—SDV) was created to market stereoviews of the Great War. A 10-page mimeographed catalog brought into the USA by a returning soldier is extant. The only copy of the catalog known to the author is incomplete, so readers desiring a more comprehensive view of SDV stereoviews should consult the SDV Title List.

Each SDV view has a unique 3- or 4-digit number, usually applied by hand. The first one, two, or three numbers identify the series (0-106) and the last its position in a 10-slide series (0-9). The catalog lists 81 series of 10 glass views each, for a total of 810. Six other series of the same type and fitting the numbering pattern have been seen, so the total number of views marketed by the SDV was at least 870. Of this total, 552 have been identified and may be viewed on this site.

Only 23 of the series were available in both medium and small formats. The remaining series were only sold in small format. LSU marks are on slides in most series, suggesting La Stéréoscopie Universelle operated the Service des Ventes and produced the majority of the slides.

Subject Series (bold denotes series sold in both medium and small formats)

Aisne 25, 26, 27, 28, 29

Alsace 63, 64, 65, 68, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104

Argonne 53, 54, 55

Artillerie 22, 90, 91, 92 (none in catalog)

Artois 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 77, 82, 83

Aviation 80

Champagne 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 62, 69, 84, 85, 86, 87

Divers 97 (not in catalog), 106

Italie 70,71

Les Éparges 57, 58

Lorraine-Vosges 59, 61, 105

Marine 79 (not in catalog)

Marne 13

Meuse 52

Oise 20, 21, 23

Orient 75, 76

Somme 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 88

Strasbourg 67

Verdun 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 56

Yser 0, 1, 1bis