View-Master Blue Ring Reels - 2nd Generation

Blue Ring/ Blue Back Reels - 2nd Generation of View-Master Reels
1940-1941
Reel Nos. 4-348

The second generation reels commonly called "blue ring" reels were manufactured for only a short period of time between the latter part of 1940 and 1941. This second major reel design eliminated the adhesive gold foil label,  and the reel title, number, and captions, were printed directly on a buff-colored reel front. Reel labeling was both concentric and linear - see examples at right and below.  The linear labeling is very scarce.

The reels have blue ink printing on the front, forming a ring and this is what gives the reel its descriptive name. The back of the reel is made of  blue stock and the front is tan (buff) and sometimes has a waxy orange color. The images were Kodachrome and today still retain much of their original color.

All of our Blue Ring reels come with their appropriate blue sleeve and are in excellent condition.

 
CONDITION and PRICE:
Over the years, if the reels have been exposed to moisture, dirt, and destructive elements the images may have suffered some degradation.  This shows up as violet spots on the images or sometimes as dark areas.  Oil from fingerprints left their marks also. We make note of these conditions and discount the price of the reels accordingly. Each reel that we sell is inspected.

All of our Blue Ring Reels come with their appropriate sleeve and are in excellent condition or noted otherwise. Blue Ring Reels were issued with the dark blue sleeve. 

©GWZ - images from George W. Ziegler's collection