History of the Kinetograph, Kinetoscope and Kinetophonograph

Softcover

1895 · New York

by DICKSON, W.K.L. and Antonia Dickson

New York: Albert Bunn, 1895. Softcover. Near Fine. First edition. Octavo. 53pp. Publisher's coated pictorial wrappers printed in blue-green ink. Portrait of Edison and numerous photographic plates and illustrations throughout. A few spots and creases and with some professional restoration at the spine and upper foredge of the front wrappers, else near fine. Housed in custom red quarter morocco clamshell case.

A remarkable copy of the first book on the motion picture. This copy belonged to A.R. Allen of Famous Productions Inc. in Universal City, California, and is accompanied by a typed letter signed to Allen from Iris Barry, curator of the (truncated) Museum of Modern Art Film Library, dated Dec. 4, 1939, who states: "...I do not think there can be much doubt that the Dickson 'History of the Kinetoscope' is the first book on the motion picture ... ."

This book details the invention and early experimentation of the kinetoscope with numerous images and closes with this bold but accurate prediction: “What is the future of the kinetograph? Ask rather, from what conceivable phase of the future it can be debarred. In the promotion of business interests, in the advancement of science, in the relation of unguessed worlds, in its educational and re-creative powers, and in its ability to immortalize our fleeting but beloved associations, the kinetograph stands foremost among the creations of modern inventive genius" (p. 52).

William Kennedy Dickson’s invention, the Kinetoscope, was simple: a strip of several images was passed in front of an illuminated lens and behind a spinning wheel. In fact, Edison saw very little value in the contraption, but thought that it might be served to enhance his phonograph. On January 7, 1894, Dickson received a patent for motion picture film. Shortly afterwards, after a great deal of debate with Edison and West Orange film colleague Jonathan Campbell, Dickson switched from the 19mm width, single sprocket film he was using, to the more stable 35mm double-sided sprocket film. Edison didn't see the need or benefit for redesigning the equipment to accept the larger negative, but Dickson and Campbell believed it was essential if the technology was to advance. Today's standard is still 35mm double-sided sprocket film.

Dickinson's importance to early film-making cannot be overstated. He is credited with producing the first film shot in the United States (*Monkeyshines*, 1890), the first public demonstrations in the United States (*Dickson’s Greeting*, 1891), the earliest known film containing actors (*The Blacksmith Scene*, 1893), and by default the first film director and studio head after the creation, by Edison in 1893, of the world’s first film studio, Black Mariah (a nickname coined by Dickson).

While numerous copies of a 1970 facsimile of the first edition can be found at institutions, the true first edition is exceedingly difficult to find with *OCLC* locating about 10 copies. A rare surviving copy of this landmark first book on motion picture by a true pioneer, too long overshadowed by more famous film “innovators” such as Edison. (Inventory #: 532805)

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