Francis Frith (1822 - 1898) was born in Chesterfield, in England. After running a successful grocery business Frith established a photography studio.

 

Between 1856 and 1860 Frith took three trips to the Middle East photographing Egypt, Syria, Nubia and Palestine. From those trips Frith brought a large number of stereoviews. Those were published in England by Negretti and Zambra, in France by Ferrier and Soulier and in the US by the American Stereoscopic company of Langenheim.

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The first series of Frith's stereoviews of Egypt was published at the end of 1857 by Negretti & Zambra. The Times published the following review on the 1st of January, 1858:

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"A very beautiful, novel, and interesting series of stereoscopic views, illustrating the most remarkable features of ancient Egyptian architecture, has just been published by Messrs. Negretti and Zambra, the photographers to the Crystal Palace Company. There are one hundred of them, and they represent with admirable faithfulness of detail the present aspect of those stupendous temples, obelisks, and monumental remains which have for so many ages past, and will for ages to come, attract the steps of the traveller to the valley of the Nile."

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Each view was published along with a short description, which was kept in tact by most publishers.

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In 1860 Frith established his own photographic company called Frith & Co.