Travel the World without Leaving Your Home
This circular device is made of Bakelite and has two conical lenses like a binocular. Cardstock reels with fourteen miniature photographs can be placed inside of the device, where a metal tab turns the reel so the viewer can change the images. Though the style has evolved over the years, many a child and adult undoubtedly has fond memories of the View-Master!
This circa 1945 View-Master was recently donated to the FRHS and came in its original box. The original user manual, list of reels, and warranty certificate were tucked away with an invoice from the original owner. In total, 30 reels in excellent condition were found in the box, many in their paper sleeves. The reels ranged from scenic views of “Niagara Falls in Winter” and “Yellowstone National Park” to more exotic locales such as “Venice, Italy” and “Lima, Peru”. Perhaps the most fitting for October is the “Autumn Foliage of New England” reel!
The View-Master stereoscope and reels were introduced to the public at the 1939-40 New York World’s Fair, as a creative alternative to the picture postcard. Though purchased a few years later, our set came with two reels of scenes from the World’s Fair. The device and reels could be purchased from various stationery and photography shops, as well as through Sawyer’s official catalog. One could purchase reels and see images from the other side of the world, without ever having to leave the comfort of their own home.
As time went on, View-Master reels included scenes from television shows, movies, and even a brief period of homemade reels. In the late 1990s, the business that owned the View-Master trademark merged with Mattel and further expanded the line of reels for younger audiences.
The next time you come across a View-Master, immerse yourself in the images of far-away lands.