United Nations — Vintage Reels

Mid-century optimism, on a paper disc

The United Nations reels capture the UN headquarters in its confident mid-century prime: the Secretariat tower, the General Assembly hall, flags and plazas in 21 stereo views. International-style architecture — all glass planes and clean lines — is superb stereo material.

This is the historian's card of the travel library: a period document of postwar New York and postwar hope, in a format from the same optimistic era. Fits any standard viewer, from 1950s bakelite to this year's classic.

At a glance