The Moving Picture World (April 1907)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD. A Non-inflammable] Film. 60 Which Is Also Said To Be Cheaper and More Dura- ble than Celluloid. Fenris film is, if its makers' claims are substantiated, the perfect substance which living picture takers have been looking for for so many years. It is said to be un- inflammable, to cost far less than the celluloid film, and to be remarkably flexible. It entirely dispenses with celluloid as a "base," and can without deterioration sus- tain the widest variations of temperature. The only ques- tion now is, if these large claims can be sustained in fact. Those responsible for the marketing of the substance, at least, cannot be accused of lack of confidence in their product. They have floated a company—Fenris Films, Ltd.—with the large capital of £100,000 ($500,000), and have taken measures for a daily output of 3,000 metres, which can be increased at will. The kinematograph firms of Paris, where the company will make its film, alone require as much as 50,000 metres per day. Under these conditions the market of the product is considered by the company to be fully secured. The company has also established in London two sale departments—one in the City and the other in the West-end, and these two offices, with the help of the customary means of advertising in Eng- land, are alleged to already enjoy an important turnover. The Fenris Film, Ltd., intends also to have depots in Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Naples, Brussels, Barcelona, and Madrid, and, besides, to be represented in every town in the United Kingdom. This organization has been the subject of the closest study, and in view of it the pro- moters claim that they have secured the assistance of well-known commercial and photographic experts; in short, the promoters have concentrated all the elements of success in such a manner as will, they believe, open up first-class business prospects. We are informed the company will start manufacturing seriously in about a month's time. Their product appears from a sample shown to us, to fulfil the requirements of transparency and uninflammability at least, and we will devote an article in our next issue to an examination of its other claims.— Optical Lantern Journal. Edgar L. Hewitt, director of American archaeology, gave an illustrated lecture before the Pittsburg Society of the Archaeological Institute of America, on "Old Mex- ico, Its Architecture and Antiquities," in the lecture hall of the Carnegie Institute on Friday, 29th ult Mr. Hewitt was president of the New Mexico Normal University from 1898 to 1903. He has carried on independent re- searches in the field of American archaeology under the =i?rvision of the Bureau of American Ethnology in ^^ton. Recently he made explorations in Mexico : authority on the antiquities of the country. Br< March 28 found us in the 8 A.M. train, bound for Philadelphia, where we first called on Lewis M. Swaab, the sole agent for the Powers cameragraph in that city. We found him in the midst of his morning mail, and by the look of it, times are very brisk at 335 Spruce street. He informed us that the outlook was all that could be desired. Films were selling and being rented to the very utmost of his capacity; in fact, he could do with a few thousand more feet of his commodity, which were on order. We left him with the impression, to use his own words, "Nothing succeeds like success." * * * Next on our visiting list was T. Harbach, of Harbach & Co., 809 Filbert street, whom we also found "up to his eyes" in work and very optimistic about the future of the trade. We like to meet such congenial personalities; they give one quite an impetus to overcome obstacles. Trade with this firm is growing and the outlook is good. While seated in his office, it was hard work to listen patiently, for our attention was attracted to three fine specimens of Messrs. Childe & Hill painted slides, for- merly belonging to the "Old Polytechnic," of London, and after business was through we asked how they got there, and were more astonished than ever to learn that there were about sixty in all in his possession, and that he also had one of the old lanterns. How they arrived in America is another story, but Mr. Harbach purchased them some time ago, at an auction sale, for a small sum. Lucky man! For the benefit of our readers who may not know what these slides are like, we will try and give some idea. They are eight by ten inches, including wood frames; the paintings—real works of art—all hand col- ored, no photographic base, but sketched and painted with every detail in wonderful accuracy; the size of the paint- ing approximates some five inches by six or six and a half inches. The lanterns were built specially for them and use ten-inch-diameter condensors, the objectives being ■. in proportion and about four inches diameter. It is ^ worth a pilgrimage to Philadelphia to see them, and we suggested to Mr. Harbach that he loan them to the Pro- fessional Photographers' Society at their meeting in New York in the early part of July. More anon. * * * Next we visited Lubin. Who has not heard of Lubin? All great inventors are dreamers, and dream fancies never found themselves hitched to more practical facul- ties than are found in S. Lubin, the well-known inventor of specialties in moving picture apparatus. Tall, and well-built in proportion, with a head as smooth as a