zwiebel
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A huge and heavy Chronomegaphone is going up for auction at a grand Chateau in Tours, France, June 7. It comes packed in four trunks weighing 992lbs (450kg), is over 100 years old and only 50 were ever made. They were invented in 1902 by Frenchman Leon Gaumont and the technology was an essential element in the development of talkies which put an end to the era of silent movies.
This machine is likely the only one left in excellent condition with all its film accessories, because it's been kept in the same family since Charles Proust bought it for a trip to Mexico to shoot 'photoscenes'. He doesn't appear to have made it, sadly.
Surprisingly, the machine appears to have cost more new in 1912 than the 2 million ($2.2 million) it's expected to fetch at auction in summer.
http://www.france24.com/en/20150523...aef&aef_campaign_date=2015-05-23&dlvrit=65413
This machine is likely the only one left in excellent condition with all its film accessories, because it's been kept in the same family since Charles Proust bought it for a trip to Mexico to shoot 'photoscenes'. He doesn't appear to have made it, sadly.
Surprisingly, the machine appears to have cost more new in 1912 than the 2 million ($2.2 million) it's expected to fetch at auction in summer.
http://www.france24.com/en/20150523...aef&aef_campaign_date=2015-05-23&dlvrit=65413
