What is this? Antique or junk? While cleaning out our Mom's house, we found this in a box in her basement. It seemed that she bought it at an auction several years ago. I know she...

AnnaZ Loc: SW Wis.

While cleaning out our Mom's house, we found this in a box in her basement. It seemed that she bought it at an auction several years ago. I know she wouldn't have bought it as a specific item, as she was not interested in photography, so I can only assume that it was in a box of "stuff" where there WAS something that she wanted and this just "came along for the ride".

Is it worth anything or should we just toss it?

(Download)

gekko11 Loc: Las Cruces NM

AnnaZ wrote:

While cleaning out our Mom's house, we found this in a box in her basement. It seemed that she bought it at an auction several years ago. I know she wouldn't have bought it as a specific item, as she was not interested in photography, so I can only assume that it was in a box of "stuff" where there WAS something that she wanted and this just "came along for the ride".

Is it worth anything or should we just toss it?

I hope someone here on this forum will be able to shed some light on this for you , if it were mine I most certainly would not toss it!! looks like there is a roll of film , I would carefully have a look at it .

AnnaZ Loc: SW Wis.

Oh, we didn't even want to TRY and take that out. It looked so fragile, I'm sure it would have crumbled. We don't have any clue as to the age of the "apparatus". :>)

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

AnnaZ wrote:

While cleaning out our Mom's house, we found this in a box in her basement. It seemed that she bought it at an auction several years ago. I know she wouldn't have bought it as a specific item, as she was not interested in photography, so I can only assume that it was in a box of "stuff" where there WAS something that she wanted and this just "came along for the ride".

Is it worth anything or should we just toss it?

While I have no idea of its value or whether it's in working order, it's certainly not junk. Sell it, keep it, give it away, but DON'T TOSS IT. It may be a very rare item.

HarveyRothbeind

My guess is it is an old film strip projector. Harvey

flathead27ford Loc: Colorado, North of Greeley

If it were me with that stuff, I'd research it more to find out how it all worked together and how old it all is. I'd probably try to find a museum or some place to donate it. It's too cool to just junk it. Cheers.

AnnaZ Loc: SW Wis.

Is there a photography museum that any of you peeps know about that I could contact?

Elliott Design Loc: West Tennessee

Interesting projector, surely antique and definitely NOT JUNK, a quick Google for old movie projectors brings up a lot of similar styles. Appears yours is complete, the wire film holder is bent forward, should be upright, probably bent to fit it in a box or on a shelf. I wouldn't try to straighten it, that should be left to an antique restorer. The cast iron flywheel (red wheel) is to help keep the speed regulated as you turn the crank arm on the opposite side. Hope someone can add more info, anyway this would be a neat item to LOAN to your local museum or maybe the curator can refer you to where you could obtain details on this particular model.

AnnaZ wrote:

Oh, we didn't even want to TRY and take that out. It looked so fragile, I'm sure it would have crumbled. We don't have any clue as to the age of the "apparatus". :>)

JimBart Loc: Western Michigan

Check with a local museum before tossing but I would keep it. Looks like an old movie projection system complete with everything

AnnaZ Loc: SW Wis.

We thought it looked pretty complete. No, we probably wouldn't have tossed it.

donrent Loc: Punta Gorda , Fl

Definitely not junk but don't order that new boat yet...

donrent Loc: Punta Gorda , Fl

Definitely not junk but don't order that new boat yet...

Quixdraw Loc: x

Suggest you Google Magic Lantern -- looks similar.
a little later, I think they used carbide lights. This is apparently kerosene.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

If it is what I think it is you have an interesting primitive projector, one of the first ones. It seems to use a petrol light to project some of the earliest form of animation onto a wall, not even a film!!!

Note that the movie ticket may not be related at all.

First off look everywhere to find the manufacturer name and serial number if any. If you have that look it up on the web. Even old defunct companies are documented now.

Place this on a turn table and photography it on many side so that you create sort of 3D model. Do a picture search using image search in google or any other site that offer this service. If you find a hit, read what is being said and continue searching using the pictures until you have more clues.

flip1948 Loc: Hamden, CT

Gleaned from Google....the National Moving Picture Machine was apparently manufactured by the A. B. Cummings Co. in Attleboro MA sometime around 1920 and was marketed as a toy.