The History and Guide Book to Lenticular Images is a special guide book to the 30,000 + collectors of Lenticular images. Lenticular images are also known as Vari-Vues, winkies, xeorographs flip images and other names. Lenticular images are the animated and stereo (3D) cards and images from the 1930's till the mid 1980's. Most people are familiar with the 3d postcards and political buttons and childrens rings. Every year, there are a number of conventions around the United States (as well as the rest of the world) which covers early 3D images and stereo photography. There are at least 3 major magazines which cover the topic of stereo photography. Presently, there is not any guide book for collectors. The author, Frank Didik, has just completed a cd-rom which contains the information and photographs of thousands of Lenticular images. These images could be incorporated into the finished book. The following are some of the unique features of the book:
1. Every image in the Vari-Vue archive (the original developers of the common Lenticular image) is contained in the book
2. The value of each image is contained in the book. This changes from year to year and thus the book would be an annual book insuring profits year after year from repeat sales
3. Each image has been assigned both the original factory catalog serial number and, more importantly for the sales of the book, a new unique number "DUCN" (Didik Universal Code Number) which, since this book would be the only book of its type, would become the universal standard for collectors of Lenticular images. Since these numbers are the copyright of Frank Didik, other possible future competitors for this book would be restricted from using these catalog numbers and would have to devise, from scratch, their own catalog system. NOTE: a license to use these numbers in this publication, would be granted on a yearly basis.
4. The book can be marketed to the Authors existing extensive mailing list of Lenticular enthusiasts as well as through the authors very heavily visited website at www.Vari-Vue.com and a variety of other websites covering this topic.
5. In the early part of last year, feelers were sent out to see how strong a market would be available for this book. Almost immediately, buyers went to Borders Books, Amazon and Barnes and Noble and attempted, in vain, to order this book. The author is confident that with proper marketing, the book will be a financial success with profits generated year after year.
The book would, to a degree, be
modeled after coin and stamp catalogs with an image of each Lenticular, the DUCN
code and perhaps other information such as product run, year of production and
other data, which may be known. It should be noted that in 1986, the author of
the book, purchased the archive of the defunct Vari-Vue company as well as
various technical equipment, and the entire paper archive of the company. The
market for this book is very large.
Travel Book Proposal by Frank Didik. February 26, 2002