Vintage Vistascreen 3D Viewer with 15 Original & 36 Weetabix Viewer Cards.

In 1956, Stanley Long worked with Jack and Jeff Spring, who ran the Capital Paper Company in London, setting up Capital Studios with Stanley as photographer. Capital produced a monthly book of nude studies printed on art quality paper. At this time, US based Sawyers Company dominated the 3D world with their View Master system, the range was biased towards the US market with a handful of British locations. So the View Master was of limited interest in the UK. Stanley was convinced there was a gap in the market to be exploited, so Stanley invented and produced one of the more commercially successful of all modern 3D systems – Vistascreen. They produced a thin, distortion-free injection moulded plastic product for just a few pence, with injection molded lenses from Combined Optical Industries in Slough, Berkshire. Almost 300 Vistascreen sets of 10 views were produced, including zoos, seaside resorts and stately homes, to begin with they were all in black and white. They were usually sold at the location of the attraction, as a souvenir. The business was sold to Weetabix who continued production of the cream set, later changing to a red viewer with cards given away in Weetabix boxes.  By roughly 1965 Vistascreen had completely finished trading.

The cream Vistascreen 3D Viewer is one of those made in the mid to late 1950s. The viewer is made to fold in three to neatly fit into a pocket. The central base section has an open work design with the product name ‘VISTASCREEN’ and is marked ‘MADE IN ENGLAND’. Between the lenses it also displays the product name. It is in great condition with only some minor surface marks.

 The original 15 viewer cards feature images of Ventnor on the Isle of Wight and the model village at Bourton-on-the-Water.

The 36 Weetabix cards come from various sets, the back of these cards give information about the subject of the image and the set it is part of, along with advertising for Weetabix and other items. There are some duplicates in this group.

A great collectable vintage optical toy.

Please see pictures for more details.

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