A Fisher-Price View-Master viewer (unofficially called the Model O)

View-Master is now marketed under the Fisher-Price label. New products are being introduced, including View-Master Discovery sets. These have innovative new viewers which combine microscope, telescope or binoculars with a View-Master 3D reel viewer. Subjects include "Snakes," "Bugs," and "Skeletal Structures."

For the first time, the reel has been redesigned and the centre hole (which was there to ensure compatibility with model A and B viewers) removed. The centre of the reel carries a picture instead of printed information about the reel. Subjects vary; there are non-fiction sets like "Walking With Dinosaurs" and "Sharks and other dangers of the deep" as well as cartoons and TV-related sets e.g. Bob the Builder, Disney sets include old favourites like Bambi and newer favourites like the Lion King, Pocahontas and Tarzan.

There is also a thriving View-Master enthusisast market among adults. This is supporting various initiatives which bring reel sets to the market about a variety of subjects of little interest to children including a book about View-Master viewers illustrated with View-Master reels, reel sets about architecture e.g. a three-reel set about Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, a three reel sets of pictures from NASA entitled Tour of the Solar System, and even a set about Atomic Tests.

Larger sets include "3D Imagics," a hard-back book about early (1838 - 1900) 3D images which is accompanied by 12 View-Master reels.

In the early days of View-Master the marketing was clearly directed at families. The product was expected to appeal to both adults and children. Now there is a clear separation into the children's market and products marketed to adult View-Master collectors.

With over 65 years of View-Master viewers, reels and associated products, there is plenty to interest everyone.

 

Top of Page