Customer Reviews

Fallingwater: Wright and the 3rd Dimension (3 View-Master reels + viewer)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am lucky enough to have Fallingwater practically in my backyard, and it is one of my favorite places on earth to visit! These viewmaster reels are incredible - 3 reels - 1 each on interiors, exteriors, and details. They are amazing, and are an okay substitute for when I can't get there! The photos are beutiful, and really capture the spirit of the house (although it really must be experienced in real-life). Truly a treat.

This is a great introduction to a wonderful work of architecture presented in a fantastic format. The images were taken by someone who understands the stereo format very well and who make the most of its benefits. If you have never been to see this building in person, this is a great way to get an idea of why you should go. Each of the 21 images was obviously carefully chosen and each shows fantastic details of this house. Chances are that if you have not seen any of this series of VM reels, these images are far better than anything you have seen in stereo before. I would urge anyone who is interested in Architecture, History, or stereo imaging to look at any of this series of View-Master reels. You will not be disappointed!

I've been a fan of ViewMaster since the early 1960's. In the `50s, as a descendant of the stereopticon, it was used for things like travel... "Grand Canyon," "Disneyland," etc. Later ViewMaster sets tended to be more entertainment oriented ("The Partridge Family," "Star Trek"), which were a lot of fun. But it's been sad in recent decades to watch this wonderful 3-D format degenerate and become all but forgotten. It's also surprising to me that some workable digital 3D format/viewer hasn't risen to fill its place, perhaps open up the ViewMaster archives to a new audience.

This set costs more than ViewMaster reels of, say, a cartoon, but at little more than a buck per stereo image, it's still a bargain to be able to experience Fallingwater, considered by many to be the most beautiful house ever built. These reels are not packaged in the blister packs or paper envelopes of traditional reels, but rather come in a surprisingly small, compact plastic case reminiscent of the jewel cases for old Zip discs. Inside is a folded card-stock J-card printed in color, listing where each image was taken and in which direction (e.g., "Living room, view toward south"). There is also a small floor plan of the house with guest wing, and a short essay.

Having never had the pleasure of touring Fallingwater myself, these images are a welcome experience, and an expert use of the ViewMaster format. Better than pictures in any book, these allow you to get some sense of the spaces and even the textures of the house, as the stereoscopy preserves the reflectivity of, for instance, the stone floors better than any 2-D photograph can ever hope to do.

I see that there is at least one more FLW set like this, which I will be buying shortly. I hope more sets like this become available in other disciplines, too.

The images on the View-Master reels are great, and we are very pleased with the reels. However, the description of the item says "View-Master reels + viewer", but there isn't anything included that could be called a "viewer". I thought it meant that there would be something that you could "view" the reels with, but all you get are the reels.