1903 Lubin

     Sigmund Lubin built this camera in 1903 in Philadelphia, PA.   Lubin had seen Edison’s Vitascope projector in 1896.  Impressed, he set up his own showings with  a competing  device, the Phantoscope projector designed by C. F. Jenkins.  With a background as an optomitist and foresight into the vast business opportunities ahead,  Lubin began to build his own equipment.  This is one of Lubin’s earliest cameras.   Simple in design,  the iris is  positioned in front of the lens and it used many hand made parts.   The camera’s film pulldown was achieved by a star and cam intermittent movement.

Lubin had an amazing career.  A technical genius who foresaw the fortunes to be made in this fledgling new industry became the first movie mogul.

Pictured is an image of a Lubin Camera shooting  the aftermath of the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 and also  Lubin film print. 

 1903 Lubin 35mm Camera and Lubin Tripod

 Camera is complete and operative