How a 19th-century real estate agent pioneered the virtual tour

By Filipa Gaspar

A 19th-century estate agent created the world's first version of Rightmove 160 years ago - using "peepshow" technology to form a "digital walk-through."

This page requires Javascript.

Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmqC@@<D 2?5 vC66?[ 2 9:89\6?5 6DE2E6 286?E 32D65 :? ~=5 q@?5 $EC66E[ {@?5@?[ FD65 2? 62C=J 7@C> @7 :>>6CD:G6 G:DF2= E649?@=@8J 42==65 2 4@D>@C2>2 E@ @776C AC@DA64E:G6 3FJ6CD 2 G:CEF2= E@FC @7 E96 AC@A6CE:6D E96J H6C6 D6==:?8]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm#6D62C49 3J E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]6I6E6C]24]F<^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQm&?:G6CD:EJ @7 tI6E6Ck^2m 92D 5:D4@G6C65 E92E 7@C a_ J62CD 5FC:?8 E96 `gc_D 2?5 Vd_D[ 564256D 367@C6 A9@E@8C2A9J H2D FD65 7@C 25G6CE:D:?8 AC@A6CEJ[ qC@@<D 2?5 vC66? 925 4C62E65 E96:C G6CJ @H? G6CD:@? @7 2 Q5:8:E2= H2=<\E9C@F89]Qk^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 5:D4@G6CJ 92D 6>6C865 2D A2CE @7 2 3C@256C DEF5J @7 E96 9:DE@CJ @7 E96 4@D>@C2>2 24C@DD tFC@A6 2?5 :ED 4@?EC:3FE:@? E@ E96 56G6=@A>6?E @7 QD9@H\3FD:?6DD]Qk^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmxEVD 366? AF3=:D965 :? 2 DA64:2= E96>65 65:E:@? @7 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E2?57@?=:?6]4@>^;@FC?2=D^C6AGa_Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Q C6=lQ?@C676CC6C ?@@A6?6CQmt2C=J !@AF=2C ':DF2= rF=EFC6k^2m]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmy@9? !=F?<6EE[ 2? 6IA6CE :? `hE9\46?EFCJ G:DF2= >65:2[ 2?5 =625 2FE9@C @7 E96 A2A6C[ D2:5i Qu@C 92=7 2 46?EFCJ[ E96 4@D>@C2>2 H2D @?6 @7 E96 >@DE 4@>>@? 7@C>D @7 G:DF2= D9@H 24C@DD tFC@A6 2?5 E96 p>6C:42D]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ$:>:=2C :? 7@C>2E E@ @E96C EJA6D @7 :>>6CD:G6 6?E6CE2:?>6?E[ DF49 2D E96 A66AD9@H[ E96 4@D>@C2>2 @776C65 A:4EFC6 82==6C:6D 7@C E96 A6@A=6[ E2AA:?8 :?E@ 2? 6C2 @7 8C62E6C EC2G6= 2?5 @776C:?8 G:6HD @7 :?E6C?2E:@?2= E@FC:DE D:E6D 2?5 D46?6D 7C@> 24C@DD E96 qC:E:D9 t>A:C6]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQ(92E H6VG6 5:D4@G6C65 E9C@F89 E9:D =2E6DE C6D62C49 AC@;64E[ 9@H6G6C[ :D E92E :ED FD6 6IE6?565 36J@?5 D:>A=6 6?E6CE2:?>6?Ei E96 2AA62= @7 4@D>@C2>2D H2D E92E E96J D@=5 2? 6IA6C:6?46 @7 G:CEF2= EC2G6=] %9:D H2D FE:=:K65 3J 6DE2E6 286?ED D66<:?8 E@ D6== =FIFCJ AC@A6CE:6D 2?5 4@F?ECJ 6DE2E6D]Qk^Am

(University of Exeter via SWNS)
By Talker

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96D6 ?6H :?D:89ED 92G6 6>6C865 E9C@F89 E96 tFC@A62? C6D62C49 AC@;64E[ r&#x~$x%p$i !66A:?8 q67@C6 ':CEF2= #62=:EJ] p |65:2 pC4926@=@8J @7 x>>6CD:@? %9C@F89 '# 2?5 E96 x36C:2? r@D>@C2>2D =65 3J E96 &?:G6CD:5256 {FDó7@?2 :? {:D3@?]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm!=F?<6EE H@C<65 H:E9 E96 AC@;64E E62> E@ :?G6DE:82E6 E96 9:DE@CJ @7 E9:D G:DF2= E649?@=@8J :? E96 &z 2?5 xC6=2?5]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmqJ 2?2=JK:?8 ?6HDA2A6C 2C49:G6D 4@?E2:?:?8 25G6CED 2?5 2CE:4=6D[ 96 >2AA65 :ED 6>6C8:?8 FD6[ A2CE:4F=2C=J 7C@> E96 `ga_D @?H2C5D]k^Am

More from this section

Connecticut hospital to end pediatric ‘gender-affirming’ care

6 U.S. Destination Shaped By European Immigrants To Feel Like The Old World

How a 19th-century real estate agent pioneered the virtual tour

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 C6D62C49 AC@;64E 42E2=@8F65 @G6C ed_ 4@D>@C2>2D :? !@CEF82=[ $A2:?[ 2?5 E96 &?:E65 z:?85@>[ H:E9 >2?J @E96CD 6I9:3:E65 :? 4@F?EC:6D 2D 72C 2A2CE 2D }@CE9 p>6C:42[ qC2K:=[ rF32 2?5 pFDEC2=:2]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmx? 4@D>@C2>2 82==6C:6D[ E96 A2:?E:?8D H6C6 ?@E :>>65:2E6=J G:D:3=6] %96J H6C6 9:556? 369:?5 H2==D 2?5 G:6H65 E9C@F89 4@?G6I =6?D6D E92E 6?=2C865 E96> 2?5 6?92?465 E96:C 56AE9 67764ED]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm(:E9 E96 255:E:@? @7 4=6G6C =:89E:?8 67764ED[ E96 G:6H6C 6?;@J65 2? :>>6CD:G6 6IA6C:6?46] uC@> =6?D E@ =6?D[ E96 G:6H6C H@F=5 6>32C< @? 2 A:4EFC6DBF6 ;@FC?6J 2C@F?5 E96 H@C=5]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm!=F?<6EE 7@F?5 6I2>A=6D @7 4@D>@C2>2 82==6C:6D :? 4:E:6D 24C@DD qC:E2:? 2?5 xC6=2?5]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 A2A6C 6IA=@C6D 9@H 4@D>@C2>2 3682? 2AA62C:?8 :? FC32? 32K22CD – E96 `hE9\46?EFCJ 6BF:G2=6?E @7 2 56A2CE>6?E DE@C6 – 2D H6== 2D 364@>:?8 2 A@AF=2C 762EFC6 @7 E96 E@FC:?8 D9@HD E92E EC2G6=65 2C@F?5 qC:E2:?]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmxE H2D 5FC:?8 E9:D C6D62C49 E92E !=F?<6EE[ @7 tI6E6CVD s6A2CE>6?E @7 t?8=:D9 2?5 rC62E:G6 (C:E:?8[ 7@F?5 6G:56?46 E92E 2 {@?5@? 3FD:?6DD H2D FD:?8 2 4@D>@C2>2 :? 2 ECF=J :??@G2E:G6 H2J]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmp5G6CE:D6>6?ED :? {@?5@? ?6HDA2A6CD :? E96 =2E6 `gb_D C6G62=65 E92E 2F4E:@?66C 2?5 DFCG6J@C qC@@<D 2?5 w6586C W=2E6C[ qC@@<D 2?5 vC66?X[ @? ~=5 q@?5 $EC66E[ 4=@D6 E@ E96 r@D>@C2>2 #@@>D @7 #686?E $EC66E[ H6C6 @776C:?8 4@D>@C2>:4 G:6HD @7 D@>6 @7 E96 AC@A6CE:6D 2?5 6DE2E6D E96J H6C6 D6==:?8]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 7:C> 25G6CE:D65 E96:C 4@D>@C2>:4 G:6HD F?E:= 2E =62DE `gdh] %96J 4=2:>65 E92E E96:C 82==6CJ :?4=F565 VD6G6C2= wF?5C65 ':6HD @7 5:776C6?E 6DE2E6DV 7C@> 2? Vp6C:2= !6CDA64E:G6V D9@H:?8 E96 9@FD6 2?5 C6=6G2?E 8C@F?5D]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm!=F?<6EE D2:5 E92E 7@C 6249 G:6H AC@5F465[ 2? 2CE:DE H@F=5 92G6 925 E@ DA6?5 E:>6 2E E96 AC@A6CEJ[ >2<:?8 :E 2 =23@C\:?E6?D:G6 AC@46DD =:<6=J C6D6CG65 7@C E96 >@C6 6I4=FD:G6 D2=6D]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmw6 D2:5i Qx? 4@?E6>A@C2CJ =:76[ AC@DA64E:G6 AFC492D6CD @7 C62= 6DE2E6 2C6 FDF2==J 2:565 3J 2 7F== DF:E6 @7 A9@E@8C2A9D 2?5 7=@@C A=2?D[ 2?5 @7E6? 2? @?=:?6 G:56@ H2=<\E9C@F89] }:?6E66?E9\46?EFCJ 3FJ6CD 925 ?@ DF49 25G2?E286D]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmQqFE E96 7@F?5:?8 @7 E96 7:CDE DA64:2=:K65 6DE2E6 286?ED D6E :? >@E:@? 2 >@C6 AC@76DD:@?2= 2AAC@249 E@ >2C<6E:?8 AC@A6CEJ[ 7F6==65 3J A@AF=2E:@? 8C@HE9[ FC32?:K2E:@? 2?5 :>AC@G65 EC2?DA@CE =:?<D]k^Am

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmx? E92E 4@?E6IE[ H6 42? D66 9@H qC@@<D 2?5 vC66? A:@?66C65 E96 G:CEF2= E@FC[ @G6C `d_ J62CD 367@C6 5:8:E2= E649?@=@8J H@F=5 7F==J C62=:K6 E9:D A@E6?E:2=]Qk^Am

How a 19th-century real estate agent pioneered the virtual tour

Connecticut hospital to end pediatric ‘gender-affirming’ care

6 U.S. Destination Shaped By European Immigrants To Feel Like The Old World

How a 19th-century real estate agent pioneered the virtual tour

Nominate Your Favorites!

Local Weather

Publications

Services

Rate:
Begins:
Transaction ID:

More from this section

Tags

Recommended for you

Nominate Your Favorites!

Most Popular

Publications

Services

Sign Up

You're all set!

Log In

Reset Password

Forgot Password

Email me a log in link

Promotional Offers

Purchase Gift Purchase Access

You're all set!

An error occurred