Author Archives: Robert

bravely optimistic

Posted on August 18, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. The summer of 1943 found America at war on two fronts: in Europe against the onslaught of Hitler and in the Pacific against Hirohito and the Japanese. At this time, native American industries swung over to war production with … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on bravely optimistic

a TLR box camera

Posted on August 17, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. In July, 1940, Kodak placed an ad in Popular Mechanics announcing its new “TLR” Brownie. The camera was short lived (1940-41) but did last a decade longer as a synchronized version taking flash bulbs. Aside from the bight full-size … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on a TLR box camera

going full circle …

Posted on August 16, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. … often meant starting over as perhaps the designer of this odd panorama camera did. The article in the December, 1940 issue of Popular Mechanics describes a clock-work camera that records a full 360 degree image in fifteen seconds … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on going full circle …

Duex Redux

Posted on August 15, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. The ad in the August, 1940 issue of Popular Mechanics brought to mind the camera Mark Singer presented at our Show and Tell meeting a couple of years back. The little inexpensive camera was only marketed in 1940-1942. Kodak, no … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Duex Redux

projecting a colourful 3D display

Posted on August 14, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. This article appeared in the September, 1940 issue of Popular Mechanics just a few years after Kodachrome arrived for 35mm transparencies created by an ordinary 35mm camera. Now these slides could be taken ready for 3D and projected so … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on projecting a colourful 3D display

see you in Montreal October 16th

Posted on August 13, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Montrealer and friend Sol Hadef sent me a note with this poster. Pre COVID, Sol was a regular table holder at our fairs and a member of the PHSC. Montreal is a beautiful city in the fall. I went … Continue reading →

Posted in activities-other | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on see you in Montreal October 16th

faking a fading light

Posted on August 12, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Earlier this year we discussed movie fades in relation to a polarizing filter set that could be affixed to many movie lenses for 8mm or 16mm cameras (a May 1940 article). A few month earlier, in October, 1939 another … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , | Comments Off on faking a fading light

it pays to advertise (again) …

Posted on August 11, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. … or so they say. There are many innovative ways to advertise and this article found by my good friend, George Dunbar, who shared it here with us, shows oner example. In the December, 1939 issue of Popular Mechanics, … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , | Comments Off on it pays to advertise (again) …

what goes around …

Posted on August 10, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. … comes around. Or so the old saying goes. And to prove a point, the November, 1939 issue of Popular Mechanics carried this article about an unnamed American ‘inventor’ who came up with the idea of a circular film, … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on what goes around …

better than a clockwork camera

Posted on August 9, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. In May of 1939, Popular Mechanics did an article on a nameless camera that used an electric motor rather than the usual spring wound affair. Its ‘fresh egg’ was allowing a full 25 foot spool of film to be … Continue reading →

Posted in history | Tagged , , | Comments Off on better than a clockwork camera