Category Archives: history

first motion picture (movie)?

Posted on May 14, 2022 by Robert

Toronto.  My good friend, George Dunbar, writes, “For those of us who have an interest in the history of motion pictures, there’s now a new book about the ‘first known motion picture’ — The Man Who Invented Motion Pictures, A … Continue reading →

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getcha daily colour here!

Posted on May 13, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. The Universal Camera Corporation in the Big Apple (NYC) made many still cameras such as the popular Mercury with the weird circular shutter. They also made movie cameras and projectors. This ad appeared in the August, 1941 issue of … Continue reading →

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a reluctant subject …

Posted on May 12, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. My odd subject complained about being photographed, but was never physically abusive. However, the subject in this photograph (kangaroo) was something else! Taken in the 1960s, the photo is number 20 of some 30 images shownon the demilked web … Continue reading →

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give her a hand!

Posted on May 11, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. The August, 1941 issue of Popular Mechanics magazine has the article shown here. An image of a human hand was blown up about 52 diameters from the original on a 35mm negative. Years ago in Montreal, our company enlarged … Continue reading →

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will do anything to get a sale

Posted on May 10, 2022 by Robert

Toronto, The August, 1941 issue of Popular Mechanics ran an advertisement for a camera called the “Midget Marvel”. It was offered for less than $9 American including the leather case. Some different cameras used the same name, so I am … Continue reading →

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Canadian female photographer from BC

Posted on May 9, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Do you remember Ms Agnes Deans Cameron? No? Well, she was a prominent photographer out west, known for her work as a  “teacher, journalist, explorer, writer, lecturer & photographer”. You can learn more about this wonderful lady at the … Continue reading →

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variations on a theme

Posted on May 6, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. In the early 1900s, Butcher in London, England sold a “Royal Mail Camera” that used multiple lenses to create as many as 15 postage stamp size images on one small  plate. The July, 1934 issue of Popular Mechanics has … Continue reading →

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stills from movies

Posted on May 5, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. A few years ago, at our PHSC monthly meetings (when we met in person – ie pre-COVID) my good friend Ed Warner took videos of each presentation and could easily snap stills without affecting the digital video he was … Continue reading →

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do you remember these two characters?

Posted on May 4, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Movies used lots of stills taken by various professional photographers. In the fall of 1929, a photograph of Stan and Ollie graced the cover of the magazine, “American Cinematographer”. Taken months before the fall and published just before the … Continue reading →

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bridging the gap

Posted on May 2, 2022 by Robert

Toronto.  The site, Rare Historical Photos, shows these photos of the Capilano Suspension Bridge around 1900. The site heading says, “These vintage photographs capture people crossing the famous Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver, 1890-1910”.  These photographs are both vintage and … Continue reading →

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