66
Viewmasters (1960s?) (media.piefed.ca)
submitted 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) by EnmebaraGuesser@piefed.ca to c/vintageads@sh.itjust.works

The device itself hails from 1939. I do not know the date of the ad. ~~50s? 60s?~~ Probably no earlier than 60's per deduction from everett@lemmy.ml below.

It seems like the projector version, you would lose the 3D, wouldn't you? Which is the whole point of a Viewmaster, for my money!

I like this ad style too.

ceHL4qZnLDq3WGM.jpg

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[-] Bebopalouie@lemmy.ca 2 points 4 days ago

I had the one on the left as a kid, it was the 60’s. They were ok for the times.

[-] NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone 4 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Remember having reels for Moonraker and Return Of The Jedi, among other random things. Literally minutes of fun.

[-] everett@lemmy.ml 4 points 6 days ago

A few of the reels based on TV shows date this ad to the mid-60s, at the earliest.

[-] calliope@retrolemmy.com 4 points 6 days ago

Yep, Batman didn’t premiere until 1966! Flipper in 1964.

[-] Bebopalouie@lemmy.ca 2 points 4 days ago

I watched them both regularly as kid.

[-] EnmebaraGuesser@piefed.ca 2 points 6 days ago

Thanks, I edited the OP with your deduction (+ credited you for).

[-] nocturne@slrpnk.net 4 points 6 days ago

I always wanted the viewmaster projector.

[-] EnmebaraGuesser@piefed.ca 5 points 6 days ago

I never even knew there was a projector, until I saw this very ad!

But whatever year it was, $11 got you the projector, the normal viewer, and 15 reels!

[-] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

They could've done color-based 3D with cheap movie-theater paper glasses.

No idea if they did though, would probably require a different set of reels.

[-] Davel23@fedia.io 2 points 4 days ago

Not sure what you mean, Viewmaster was in color.

[-] everett@lemmy.ml 3 points 5 days ago

Viewmaster reels looked awesome, though. Anaglyph 3D, not so much.

[-] MrsDoyle@sh.itjust.works 3 points 6 days ago

We had a Viewmaster in the 60s, I loved it. We didn't have story reels though, ours were all animals and scenery.

[-] EnmebaraGuesser@piefed.ca 5 points 6 days ago

The scenery ones are cool though! Virtual travel to see far flung places, before the internet. Plus, you got to see it in 3D.

[-] qrstuv@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 6 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)
this post was submitted on 14 Jul 2026
66 points (100.0% liked)

Vintage and Retro Ads, Promos, Fliers, Etc.

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