| View-Master®
Advertising Collectibles
View-Master® produced many advertising items
to promote selling reels, viewers, cameras and more over the
years. Recently in Missouri, a man purchased a store that
used to carry View-Master®
products. He found several unused View-Master®
advertising items stored in the attic.
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View-Master®
Enamel and Steel Sign
Steel
and enamel View-Master® wall sign. This sign is
47-3/4" in diameter and is made to look like
a View-Master®
3-D disc.
It is multi-colored as shown with a baked-enamel white
background
and reads, "Take Your Vacation HOME. VIEW-MASTER
3-Dimension color pictures." There were
four of these signs inside the wooden shipping crate
found in the attic. Three of the signs have been sold
and the owner listed the final one on eBay with a
starting price of $1,495.
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View-Master®
Reel Counter Display
This 21 1/2"-diameter View-Master®
counter display sign is made to look like a View-Master®
reel. This sign is made of heavy (0.075" thick)
cardboard with two rear fold-out feet for stability.
It has a satin finish.
The seven pair of pictures around the reel show (starting
at the top-and-bottom and moving clockwise) The Wizard
of Oz, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Roy Rogers,
Hawaiian Hula, Scenic Niagara Falls, Andersen's Fairy
Tales and the Grand Canyon.
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Sawyer's View-Master®
Theater Mass Display Kit DS-48
Stock No. 9460
The original 22" x 12-1/2" shipping carton
is shown in the foreground in the picture. The kit
includes one 18" x 12" colored easel-style
stiff-cardstock counter display sign; one 13-3/4"
x 10-1/2" lavendar-colored Dy-Quil newspaper
mat with three ads coded VMM-805, VMM-806 and VMM-807;
one 8-1/2" x 11" 4-page View-Master Theater
merchandising brochure; and one 2-sided 8-1/2"
x 11" print-ad sheet with the same three VMM
ad copies as the newspaper mat. The USPS postmark
label on the carton reads"Nov-7 '67 PORTLAND
OREG."
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GAF
View-Master®
Display Rack Sign
This is a 5" x 34-3/4" GAF View-Master®
display-rack sign. This sign appears to be made of
a masonite-type board material. It has three
pre-drilled
mounting holes along the horizontal centerline. The
white background is a flat finish, and the colors
are a satin finish.
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Sawyer's
View-Master®
Projection Display Kit (Photo 1)
The original 24-1/2" x 12-1/4" x 3-1/2"
shipping carton is shown in the left in Photo 1. The
label on the front of the carton says View-Master®
Projection Display Kit. Inside the carton are the
black spackle-finish display base board, the View-Master®
sign bracket and sign, the instruction sheets, an
extra "200 hour 400-W (projector) lamp"
and an 8-5/8" diameter Sawyer's Rototray with
100 2"x2" original View-Master®
photo slides. The Rototray carousel is shown
in its storage box; the box lid is shown on the right;
both box and lid are a textured brown "alligator-hide"
finish. The Railway Express Agency shipping label
on the outside of the carton reads "Nov. 6 -
'63." The slides that came with
this set had gone magenta. It is not known if the
projector came with the original box as it was not
with the rest of the display kit.
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Sawyer's
View-Master®
Projection Display Kit (Photo
2)
Photo 2 shows some of the slides close-up. It is evident
that there is still some color in the slides, but they
have turned a considerable shade of magenta, even though
this Item has been stored indoors away from direct sunlight
and heat since it was new.
The 100 slides feature individual pictures
of the cover jackets of many of the View-Master®
reels available up to the early 1960s. A random inspection
of these slides shows Woody Woodpecker, Casper, Snow
White, Cinderella, Bambi, America's Man In Space, Popeye,
Flintstones, London, Grand Canyon, Bugs Bunny and the
Wizard of Oz, to name a few. One of the slides is shown
in front of the carousel: The slide frames are 2"
x 2"; the picture dimensions are 1-1/2" x
1-1/2".
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TDVision
Systems shows 3-D HD System at Las Vegas CES
  An
Illinois company, TDVision Systems, used the Las Vegas CES
show to introduce a new 3-D system that uses a proprietary
high-definition camera called the TDVCam. The technology allows
images to be recorded simultaneously for both 3-D and 2-D
viewers.
The TDVCam captures a 2-D stereoscopic video
stream and then converts it to allow 3-D viewing on any 2-D
platform.
Any HD camera could be modified to embed TDVision’s
proprietary 3-D encoder, which can record and output a compatible
3-D MPEG video stream. Viewers purchasing the TDVisor, a set
of $500 3-D goggles with built-in standard-definition video
screens and decoders, can view the 2-D images as a 3-D signal.
The camera’s 2-D signal operates as usual and can be
viewed in any 2-D monitor.
HD versions of the goggles, weighing six ounces, are available
in 800 x 600, 1024 x 768 and 1280 x 720 resolutions.
  A
viewer using TDVisor goggles can adjust the interocular distance
(distance between the eyes). The optics allow an equivalent
screen size of 72-inches diagonal at 10-feet for the 800 x
600 version and 108-inches at 10-feet for the HD version.
New LCoS are being used to reduce power consumption and the
heat problems have been solved completely.
Connecting the TDVisor to a PC and, used with TDVision software,
the company says it will enable true 3-D visualization of
computer-generated content, animations, videogames and video
streams.
The company said it's initially focused on gaming and digital
imaging but are working with broadcasters and cable networks
to create and deliver 3-D high definition in the near future.
"TDVision can easily add the encoding technology to
other cameras because it does not involve optics," said
Manuel Gutierrez, TDVision Systems CTO and chairman.
Download
TDVision Systems 2007 brochure
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Sea
Monsters in 3-D from National Geographic Giant Screen Films
 National
Geographic will premiere its new giant screen film Sea
Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure in IMAX® and other
specialty theaters worldwide on Friday, Oct. 5, 2007, it was
announced by Lisa Truitt, president, National Geographic Giant
Screen Films.
Presented in both 2-D and 3-D formats, Sea Monsters:
A Prehistoric Adventure brings to life some of the most
bizarre, ferocious and fascinating creatures to ever inhabit
the ocean. The film combines dynamic, state-of-the-art animation
with stunning, dramatic recreations in an unforgettable prehistoric
adventure. Through the power of the giant screen experience,
this journey to the bottom of the ancient oceans will bring
audiences face-to-face with some of the most awe-inspiring
creatures of all time.
Stunning photo-realistic computer-generated animation transports
audiences back to the Late Cretaceous, when a great inland
ocean divided North America in two. The film will follow a
curious and adventurous dolichorynchops (familiarly known
as a 'dolly') as she travels through life's stages, experiencing
the world from her spot near the bottom of the food chain.
Along the way, she'll encounter long-necked pleisosaurs, giant
turtles, enormous fish, ferocious flippered crocs, fierce
sharks, and the most dangerous sea monsters of all, the mosasaurs.
Sea Monsters weaves together a series of palaeontological
digs from around the globe in a compelling story about scientists
working as prehistoric detectives to answer questions about
this ancient and mysterious ocean world. Viewers accompany
modern and historical palaeontologists to remote locations
as they excavate the remains of some of the most awe-inspiring
creatures of all time, and together they'll discover fossils
which shed light on exactly what happened to the film's incredible
cast of characters.
The Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure video
game release will coincide with the Oct. 5, 2007, worldwide
premiere of the film.. The game play will be similar to the
film, showcasing a prehistoric world that brings sea creatures
to life as they journey through Earth's ancient seas. It will
be available on the new Nintendo Wii, making full use of the
exceptional interactive experience Wii has to offer, as well
as on the popular Sony PS2 and Nintendo DS platforms. The
game is licensed and will be distributed through Destination
Software Incorporated (DSI) in partnership with National Geographic
Ventures.
The film's worldwide same-day release will be backed by a
unique and robust marketing program, which will leverage other
National Geographic assets including the National Geographic
Channel, National Geographic magazines and National
Geographic online. Additional outside marketing and promotional
partnerships will round out the program.
The Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure film production
team has completed principal photography. Sean Phillips is
the director. Mose Richards is writer. Producers are Lisa
Truitt and Jini Durr. Erica Immucci is associate producer.
T.C. Christensen serves as director of photography. Jonathan
Shaw is editor. Tim Kelly is executive producer. The film
will be distributed worldwide by National Geographic.
Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure is a production
of National Geographic Giant Screen Films and is funded in
part by the National Science Foundation.
National Geographic Giant Screen Films is part of National
Geographic Ventures (NGV), a wholly owned subsidiary of the
National Geographic Society, one of the world's largest nonprofit
scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888
to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,"
the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet.
Building on its global reputation for remarkable visuals and
compelling stories, National Geographic Giant Screen Films
produces original 2-D and 3-D productions for the world's
largest screens. National Geographic Giant Screen Films also
retains distribution rights to a portfolio of 23 films. More
information is available at nationalgeographic.com.
View
the trailer
View
a short feature
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3-D
TV Could Be Here in Five Years
 3-D
television without red-and-blue glasses may reach consumers
as early as five years from now, according to an engineer
at LG Electronics.
The company showcased its 42-inch 3-D-monitor at the Consumer
Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and said the technology will
be rolling out later this year for use in advertising.
The technology could be commercialized to the consumer market
in five to seven years, said Tae-soo Park, chief research
engineer for the optical systems group at a research lab in
Seoul, Korea.
The images on the television are not truly three-dimensional
in the sense that you can walk around and see the image from
the other side like a hologram. Instead the viewing angle
for the images is an arc of about 30 degrees in front of the
screen.
The demonstration television uses autostereoscopic technology.
Stereoscopic art, where illustrators and photographers create
the illusion of depth by merging two or more images from slightly
different perspectives, has been around for centuries.
LG's 3-D television uses 25 different perspective views to
show one image.
The cost to produce content and the newness of the technology
in video applications mean it will take a while before the
televisions have a practical home in consumer markets, said
Park, who has been working on the technology for three years.
"The cost of producing the video is 34 percent more
than standard video," he said. But it could be used for
commercial applications such as find-your-way maps, advertising
and other signage.
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3-D
Center of Art and Photography Center News
 The
January 2007 issue of Center News from the 3-D Center
of Art and Photography has been published. The newsletter
is printed on slick, glossy paper with full color photos.
Center News is published quarterly. The issue features
an anaglyphic cover photo of cactus plants. The cover photo
is by Barry Rothstein from his book, Phantomgrams from
Nature, which was the best selling book in the 3-D Center
gift store during 2006. More anaglyphic and several stereo
pairs are printed inside the issue.
 Articles
- Message from the Director by Diane Rulien
- Reality or Phantogram by Shab Levy
- Black and White Stereography by David M. Lee
- News from the Center by Annie Dubinsky
- Coming to the Center
- Online Gift Shop Items
Events at the 3-D Center
Jan. 4 - Feb. 18
Landscapes and Interiors by David Lee
This is the second exhibition by Lee since The 3-D Center
opened in February 2004.
Feb. 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 and 18
Three weekends of fun for all ages with demonstrations,
free admission and giveaways made possible by grants from
the Multnomah County Cultural Coalition, the Oregon Cultural
Trust and the Regional Arts and Culture Council.
Feb. 22 through April 8
In the Gallery: Transformations by Boris Starosta
In the Theatre: A Case of Levitation by Christopher
Schneberger
Public Classes
Introduction to 3-D photography is a four-week
class beginning Feb. 7. Instructor is Shab Levy.
More about The 3-D Center
The 3-D Center houses the remainder of the Oliver Wendell
Holmes Stereoscopic Research Library and is now the custodian
of approximately 650 lbs. of 3-D slides belonging to the PSA
Stereo Division. The PSA Stereo Division is the first Club
to join Friends of the Center. The 3-D Center is
hoping that more stereoscopic organizations and photography
clubs will support it.
The 3-D Center is a non-profit corporation dedicated to supporting,
promoting and preserving 3-D imagery of all kinds. Write to
The 3-D Center for information on making a tax-deductible
contribution. Friends of the Center receive Center
News (the quarterly newsletter) and 10 percent off gift
store and online purchases. Basic individual memberships start
at $60. A level 2 family membership is $120 and a supporter
membership is $240. Memberships can be paid for using a personal
check, VISA or MasterCard.
The 3-D Center of Art and Photography is located at 1928
NW Lovejoy in Portland, Oregon. Hours: Thursday through Sunday,
1 to 5 p.m. First Thursdays, 6 to 9 p.m. Call (503) 227-6667.
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3-D
Auction Results
Here are a few 3-D auction results from the past month
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A circa 1880 stereoview of Chestnut Street, a main
street in Leadville, Colorado, sold for $357.99 with
13 bids. This original rounded corner/flat mount stereo
photo measures approximately 7" x 3 7/8" and
is mounted on its original, buff colored card mount.
It is titled simply "43. Chestnut St., South West"
and features a view looking down the center of this
busy, bustling street in this early Colorado boomtown.
This appears to be an early view of Leadville as there
is only a single set of telegraph poles erected on the
street as opposed to the tangle of lines seen in later
images of Leadville. The view features store fronts
with signs and groups of men and horse drawn wagons
in the street and on the steps in front of the buildings
that line the street. It appears that most of the men
in the foreground are looking toward the photographer.
Behind them the scene is teaming with activity. The
town of Leadville was situated in the heart of the Leadville
Mining region. The area was previously settled during
the period of Placer Gold Mining around 1860. A town
named Ore City was established by the placer miners
and in 1861 it had a population of about 5,000. The
Placer deposits were quickly played out and by the early
1870's the town of Ore City was nearly deserted. In
1878, a metallurgist named Alvinius Woods and his partner
William Stevens visited the area and discovered that
the local sands were composed of carbonate of lead with
an extremely high silver content. The mother lode was
discovered on the side of Iron Hill. This discovery
led to the second boom in the area, the silver rush
would lead to the founding of Leadville. By the end
of 1879 the population in Leadville reached 18,000.
It appears that this photograph was taken not long after
Leadville was settled the second time. The card is printed
on the reverse with extensive text about the town of
Leadville as well as credits of the photographer Charles
Weitfle of Central City, Colorado. There is a printed
image of a Medal awarded in 1878 to Weitfle for his
Photographic Views of Colorado Scenery along with other
Charles Weitfle credits.
A Texas Indian Territory stereoview sold for $302 with
five bids. The yellow mounted stereoview showing an
Indian on a horse was taken by Martin and Troutman Photographers
based in Paris, Illinois.
A pair of E & H.T. Anthony Civil War stereoviews,
both on yellow mounts, sold for $316.11 with eight bids.
The stereoviews in the sale were War Views # 813 Gymnastic
Field Sports of the Gallant 7th, The Human Period and
War Views # 942, The Famous Relay House, on the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad (pictured).
A stereoview of a group of 10 Shaker women seated in
pose for the camera taken by Irving of Troy sold for
$650 with nine bids.
A Keystone Stereographic Library, Volumes 1 through
12, sold for $713.44 with six bids. The sale also included
the Telebinocular viewer.
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