Joe Rinaudo with his 1909 Powers Cameragraph
Threading the Cameragraph
Joe Rinaudo demonstrates threading a 1909 Powers Cameragraph Motion Picture Machine in this video produced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Hand-Crank Premiere of Restored 1925 Phantom of the Opera
This video shows the process of threading, projecting, and changing reels of the 1925 Phantom of the Opera, restored and hand-cranked by Joe Rinaudo on his Powers Cameragraph; and glass lantern slide presentation by Gary Gibson, also on the Cameragraph.
Shown at the Nethercutt, October 2013. Special guest Carla Laemmle, 104, niece of Universal Studios owner Carl Laemmle, was in the audience…and in the film.
CREDIT:
Shot & Cut by Michael J. Cahill / 35mm Films
Copyright 2013 All Rights Reserved
Close-ups of the Powers Cameragraph
Click each photo to enlarge.
The Melfort & District Museum, in north-eastern Saskatchewan (Canada), has recently acquired a Powers Cameragraph, which I (as a long time camera collector and photographer) have been asked to accession. Since I know nothing about 35 mm projectors, I am doing some research to make my description more accurate, and came across your web site. There is a picture from a magazine of a machine almost identical to ours. I examined and photographed ours this morning, and tried to read the various labels. I believe it is a W Powers Co. 8-3, with a NP Co. C-7 film magazine. The lens mount is by Kollmorgan Optical Co. of Brooklyn, NY, the lens is a Bosch and Lomb Series I Cinephor 6.00+ IN EF 113636. The name Mellatone Corporation of Rochester, NY is also on one part of it, and in one place it says “NP Co. Inc.. 6-34. The temporary location is very dark and unheated right now, but it appears to read “Pat. Jan. 1906” (could be 1909?). I gather it is a silent film projector. If you can tell us anything about its date and place of manufacture, original cost, current value (it is not restored at this point), etc, we’d be most grateful.
Hi Joe, that is a beautiful projector you have. Being that you restored it, you probably had to reach out to many people for advice and parts. I am wondering if you might be able to help me. I am trying to track down a Powers No 6 Cameragraph that came from Minnesota. My great, great uncle owned it and used to show movies back in the 20’s in Woodstock MN. The last I new it was in a private collection in California. I would like to reach out to the owner and offer some history and backstory about the projector and man who owned and operated it. I also still have movie house memorabilia from the time that projector was used. It’s a shot in the dark but I am hoping you may have come across this in your searches.
Thank you
Hi Joe:
Congrats on the new web site.
If you ever want to ‘spotlight’ the hand crank cameras or other projectors of the silent era, we would love to supply photos and data on some of the rare cameras in our gallery.
So please let me know if we can be of help.
Best,
Bill Reiter
Curator
http://www.CinemaAntiques.com
Hi Joe,
Good morning from Brisbane Australia. Congratulations on the work you are doing to preserve an important part of cinema history. I am an Australia documentary Producer web site http://www.schindler.com.au and recently purchased a nice POWERS CAMERAGRAPH head. I have a friend who can assist me with an endless loop set up but whilst I have the 2 reels I do not have the arm to attach to the top of the projector. Do you have a spare arm you can sell to me ? Kind regards. John Schindler.