PROTOTYPE? of Realist Red Button stereo slide Viewer - ALL METAL never seen

Description

For the
Stereo Realist Collector
RARE Stereo Realist red button ALL METAL - possibly PROTOTYPE
Here is something that you might not see again:
This appears to be a prototype (or very early working model) of the Realist red button viewer, possibly made by Seton Rochwite, the inventor of the Stereo Realist camera system
Why do I think this?
I do not know for sure, but consider these facts:
Is appears
very similar to the red button viewer
but it is
made out of METAL
(think about this: A Realist viewer made entirely out of metal - it weighs about twice as much as the standard production viewer)
It carries the
Stereo Realist logo
engraved at the top (in case you do not know, the Realist logo was designed by Seton Rochwite too). Seton or David White (the company) could have done this, I doubt that any amateur had the tools or
permission
to do this.
It has two unusual features seen in very early (pre-production) advertisements of the Realist system:
1) The
focusing knob
is silver and made out of metal
2) On the side of the viewer there are
grooves
running parallel to the length of the viewer.
These features appear in pre-production advertisements that show the viewer, but were never part of the production viewer.
Interesting fact: The
light switch
is similar to the red button switch but it is a smaller black button. My guess is that on the production model they decided to put the Realist logo on the switch button instead of the viewer body.
Also interesting: There is
no back battery contact
. There are two contacts but they are not not connected, but because the viewer is made of metal, there is an electrical connection through the body of the viewer.
The viewer is very similar to the red button but most parts are slightly different: The rack and pinion focusing knob, racks, contacts, interocular adjustment lever, electrical contacts, etc. The dimensions of the viewer, opening of the apertures, etc., appear to be the same.
The focusing is very smooth and firm and the lenses are superb quality achromatic lenses.
I have cleaned and tested the viewer. I have also installed an LED bulb and the 4 "bumps" at the bottom (you can easily remove them) in case someone wants to use this viewer. It is really better than any production viewer I have seen.
The viewer is missing one side screw (these are different than the production screws). It was also missing the top screw that holds the viewer together and I used a standard screw (from a production model), that fits.
I have asked several people about this, and no one knows anything or has seen anything like this. The top expert in this area is David Starkman, who helped Seton Rochwite transport and donate his stereo camera  prototypes to the California Museum of Photography in 1985.  He does not recall seeing this viewer. It is possible that this was a working viewer for Seton or he made some viewers for his friends/family. It is certainly better than a production viewer, just because it will not break if you drop it. :) I am not sure how many of these were made, but this is the first I have seen in my 30+ years involvement in stereo photography.
Regarding the question of why is a prototype made out of metal and not a material easier to work with (wood, for example), I was told by David Starkman that
Seton's prototypes were all made out of metal
and they are heavier than the final production metals. Seton Rochwite had access to a metal working shop and he even did some metal work on his own basement.
Where does this come from?
It came from an estate sale in Colorado. I was not able to get more information. People involved with the early stages of production of the Stereo Realist are now long gone.
How much is this worth?
It is hard to say since this is the only one of its kind I have seen. I discovered stereo photography in 1988 and became fascinated with the Stereo Realist camera system (I have written a book, available for sale here in on ebay). I am not a collector but I like to document interesting things, like this viewer, with pictures on my web site, but I have no interest in keep them. I guess it is worth whatever a collector is willing to pay for it.
Please see my other ebay listings for similar items
I buy/sell/service 3D photography equipment
I sell on consignment. Most likely this is a consignment item. If you like the presentation and the sale prices, I could be selling YOUR items too!
If you have any
questions
regarding this item, your purchase, or stereo photography in general, do not hesitate to contact me! I have taking 3D pictures since 1988.
Combining Shipments
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combine shipments
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.  I do not require immediate payment but if you pay for something, I have to ship within 24 hours. Please do not pay excessive postage and then ask for a refund (I will do it but will have to keep 10% which is what ebay charges me even on shipping).
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