The Stereoscope
A stereoscope is a device for viewing a stereoscopic pair of separate images, depicting left-eye and right-eye views of the same scene as a single three-dimensional image.
A typical stereoscope provides each eye with a lens that makes the image seen through it appear larger and more distand and usually also shifts its apparent horizontal position, so that for a person with normal depth perception the edges of the two images seemingly fuse into one 'stereo window'.
The stereoscope first became popular in the U.S. in the 1860s and 70s with a second wave of popularity in the 1880s-1910s. During this peak period three major stereograph companies were producing over 25,000 images per day. Many were selling for 6 for a dollar. Other companies catering to the working class sold the image cards for 3 cents each or 85 cents per 100.
Around the turn of the 20th century the stereoscope moved from the parlor into the schools. The images being produced included places, things and events never before seen by students.
(Click on image to enlarge.)
The View-Master
View-Master is the trademark of a line of special-format stereoscopes and corresponding View-Master "reels" which are thin cardboard disks containing seven stereoscopic 3-D pairs of transparent color photographs. It was originally manufactured and sold by Sawyer's.
The View-Master system was introduced in 1939, four years after the advent of Kodachrome color film made the use of small high-quality photographic color images practical. Tourist attractions and travel views predominated in View-Master 's early list of reels intended to be of interest of users of al ages.
Most current View-Master reels are intended for children.
