Collecting View-Master Viewers and Reels
A pathfinder for beginners.
A Brief History of View-Master
Though it is now known primarily as a child’s toy, View-Master was launched at the 1939 New York World’s Fair as a way to see the world from home in full-color 3-D. It was marketed as a more exciting souvenir than a traditional postcard and reels were often sold at tourist destinations and camera stores across the globe. View-Master reels featured beautiful full-color Kodachrome 3-D photography of famous places and people as well as special diorama scenes of fairy tales and stories aimed at children. The company would go on to sell more than a billion reels.
Interesting rabbit hole: The Hidden History of View-Master
Today, View-Master is owned by Mattel, nestled under their Fisher-Price line, but licensed to Basic Fun. New products are close to nonexistent, but the collector market thrives online.
Where do I get started?
Collecting View-Master is fun and affordable. The items are small and easy to store, reels are relatively plentiful and so most are inexpensive.
View-Master is a system that uses small high-quality photographic transparencies — seven stereo pairs mounted inside a thin paper board disk — to create a stereo or 3-D effect when viewed in a View-Master viewer. Though the look of the viewers changed over time, the reels remained consistent. Any View-Master viewer will hold and view any View-Master reel from any decade, making it highly transportable and easy to pass down through the years.
Most people start with a viewer that appeals to their memories or aesthetic preferences and reels that appeal to their interests.
View-Master Viewers
Picking a viewer is entirely up to you, but the Model D is considered the top of the line (and is usually among the most expensive to acquire). Here are some further resources:
This website provides detailed information and photos of nearly every View-Master branded viewer. The site also features photos of rare variants, including unusual materials or colors used in production.
The View-Master Single Reel List
This website offers 360-degree videos of every View-Master-branded viewer as well as various light attachments and projectors offered over the years. There’s also some fun historical photos and other goodies for collectors.
View-Master Reels
There’s something for almost everyone!
Nostalgia, Semiotics & Weird Stuff
I wrote this photo-heavy article for Stereosite that details some of the key content categories that View-Master covered over the years. If you prefer video, check out this presentation I gave on the subject to the Virtual Stereoscopic Society:
Spreadsheet made from the Ultimate Reel List
In my early days of collecting, The View-Master Ultimate Reel List was an invaluable resource. It listed every known reel by logical numeric or alphabetical grouping as well as every known variant. I adapted that original list into a massive spreadsheet to track my collection and have been updating it regularly for years. You can make a copy and adapt it to your needs or just use it as reference.
The View-Master Database is an attempt to build a complete list of every individual reel, set, and their variants known to have been issued.
View-Master Single Reel Variations
For those who are pretty far down the collecting rabbit hole: The aim of this site is to make the most comprehensive and complete list of known variations within the same single reel. Over the years, View-Master would change reels without much fanfare, swapping out photos to update or improve a given reel. This site tracks those minor variations and more.
Packaging and Booklets
The View-Master Resource provides scans of some envelopes and packaging, so if a collector acquires a set of reels without the original envelope it came in, they can print a reproduction from a .pdf file and have a copy of the original packaging. Not as comprehensive as a collector might like, but it’s a good resource.
Groups
The Nation Stereoscopic Association
The NSA is a group dedicated to all things 3-D, with an emphasis on photography. The organization’s annual gathering is a great chance to scoop up or swap items with other members.
An active Facebook group dedicated to sharing the View-Master love. They have lots of knowledgeable members to answer your specific questions.
Where to Buy
It is one of the only stores online to specialize in View-Master viewers and reels.
It is by far the most popular place for collectors to add to their collections.
Online, Facebook marketplace and Etsy are good resources. In person, check flea markets and second-hand stores.
Fun Stuff
I share images from View-Master reels I find.
Not nearly as high a quality as vintage reels but still fun. I’ve made a few for my collection and have enjoyed the results.
What’s View-Master Stuff Worth?
View-Master items, by and large, are inexpensive. Of course, if the item is rare, value goes up exponentially. The best way to find out what your item is worth is to search for it on eBay and check the completed and sold listings in the advanced search functions. Don’t assume anything. The “cool” old bakelite viewers are a dime a dozen because they were produced for decades. But if you have the bakelite viewer with the focusing feature (the Model D), you might get a nice return on it.
History and Books
All of the books about View-Master are out of print, sadly. Here are some to watch out for when thrifting.
Stereo Views: An Illustrated History and Price Guide by John Waldsmith
View-Master Memories by Mary Ann and Wolfgang Sell and Charley Van Pelt
View-Master Reels and Packets: A Collector’s Guide
Collectible View-Master: An Illustrated Reference and Value Guide
This pathfinder provides information for those interested in learning more about View-Master products and collecting. It should be of interest to new collectors.
Last updated on 03/24/2023.
Such a great presentation with valuable as well as fun information. You make us all want to start collecting!
A good intro/starting off guide anyone! For anyone looking for more info on collecting VM, this would be a great article to point to.