1910 Pathé

    Charles Morand Pathé of Paris built a successful business importing the Thomas Edison phonograph.  Like the Lumiére brothers Pathé saw opportunity in Edison’s new Kinetoscope and developed his own motion picture equipment.   The first Pathé cameras had a ratchet movement and would serve as both camera and projector.  The Lumiére brothers sold the right to the design of their Cinematographé camera to Charles Pathé in 1902.  The Pathé’s movement was evolved directly from the Cinematographé.  Advances included a 400’ magazine and footage counter.

    The Pathé camera became the most popular camera in the world until the First World War.  The Pathé  with it’s lightweight wooden housing was extremely portable,  had a single frame crank capability for animation or special effects and a later refinement was the use of a variable shutter that could accomplish lap dissolves.  The camera was copied in the United States by Sigmund Lubin and by the Wilart Instrument Company who produced all metal versions. (1)

    This Pathé Professional Camera, serial no. 882 was given to Don Malkames ASC by William G. Bitzer.

(1) ‘Operating Cameraman’  summer 1994 issue, article by Wes Lambert.

1910 Pathé Serial No. 882

The camera is complete and operative