Gaumont's,Chronomegaphone -- August 2, 2025

New York Clipper, 01-February-1908

Gaumont is a pioneering film company that has been active since 1895. I assume that Chronomegaphone was another name for Gaumont's pioneering sound-on-disk system, the Chronophone. 

"Talking and Singing Machines (Brand New), with
"Great Assortment of Colored Films and Discs."

Gaumont -- Films Artistiques Originaux -- June 2, 2025

New York Clipper, 01-February-1908

Gaumont is a pioneering film company that has been active since 1895. I found it interesting that the Gaumont logo has a superimposed banner in French. "The Water Babies; or, the Little Chimney Sweep" was a 1907 film made in America by the Gaumont company. Percy Stow directed.

The film is based on an 1893 novel, The Water-Babies: A Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby, by Charles Kingsley. Tommy, a little chimney sweep, is abused by his master, Grimes. The master takes Tommy to a manor, where Tommy meets a girl, Ellie, and is accused of stealing items that Grimes had purloined. Tommy runs away and his master, the owner of the manor and all the servants pursue him. Tommy jumps in a river and drowns. Sympathetic "little shell maids" turn Tommy into a water baby. Drunk and angry, Grimes falls into the river. He meets Tommy and the shell maidens, and they turn him into a fish. 

Ten years later, Ellie looks for Tommy. She persuades a mermaid to take her to him. Ellie is transformed so they can stay together. 

Lyman H Howe -- May 3, 2025

New York Clipper, 01-February-1908

Lyman H Howe offered used films "nearly new," "in splendid condition" "CHEAP/"

Lyman H Howe was a showman and a former railroad worker. He produced many short films. His most famous was "Ride on a Runaway Train," which he released in 1921. He put his films together from used films.

Film Rental $4 Per Week -- April 4, 2025

New York Clipper, 01-February-1908

L Hetz of 302 East 23rd Street in New York City offered to rent films out for $4 per reel per week, including three changes, "and good films at that." They offered better services for $5 or $6.

Harbach's All Latest, New Motion Picture Machines -- March 2, 2025

New York Clipper, 01-February-1908

Philadelphia's Harbach and Company offered new and used projectors, stereopticon and song slides, and a variety of films.

Films! Films! -- February 4, 2025

New York Clipper, 01-February-1908

The OT Crawford Film Exchange Company in Saint Louis said "We can rent you every feature and good film the world produces, PATHE's 'LIFE OF CHRIST,' 'PARSIFAL,' 'BEN-HUR' and 'TWO ORPHANS' rented reasonable." 

Life and Passion of the Christ was a 1903 motion picture that is considered the first feature length story film. "Parsifal" was probably the 1903 Edison movie directed by Edwin S Porter. "Ben-Hur" may have been the 1907 Kalem one-reeler. The Two Orphans was a popular play that DW Griffith later adapted as Orphans of the Storm. So far I haven't found a reference to a film adaptation made in 1908 or before.

The Motiograph No. 1 Model 1908 -- January 3, 2025

New York Clipper, 01-February-1908

Motiograph manufactured film equipment. The company was founded by Alvah Roebuck. 

Films and Song Slides -- December 2, 2024

New York Clipper, 01-February-1908

OF Gallot offered "Seventy-five thousand fee of film stock, large and small subjects." 

59 Reels of Second Hand Films -- November 2, 2024

New York Clipper, 01-February-1908

The Ideal Film Exchange offered "59 Reels of Second Hand Films." I would like to see the list.

Two Edison Kinetoscopes, Slightly Used, Both Bargains -- September 4, 2024

New York Clipper, 01-February-1908

Need two Edison Kinetoscopes, slightly used, both bargains? Frank E Russell of Batavia, New York will mail you a free catalogue. 

Herman Wauke of Coney Island, New York offers "15,000 Feet of Up-To-Date Films" in perfect condition. 

Rescued From an Eagle's Nest -- August 4, 2024

New York Clipper, 01-February-1908

"Rescued From an Eagle's Nest" was a 1908 Edison film which was directed by pioneer Edwin S Porter. The lead actor was future director DW Griffith. The battle between Griffith and the stuffed eagle was epic. 

New York Clipper, 01-February-1908

The Actograph Housecleaning -- July 3, 2024

New York Clipper, 01-February-1908

The Actograph Company had 200,000 feet of second-hand film which they were willing to sell. Actograph appears to have been a film rental exchange. 

New Edison Films -- Latest Feature Subjects -- June 5, 2024

New York Clipper, 01-February-1908

The Edison Manufacturing Company offered a wide variety of short films. To me the most interesting item is "Rescued From an Eagle's Nest," a 1908 film which was directed by pioneer Edwin S Porter. The lead actor was future director DW Griffith. The battle between Griffith and the stuffed eagle is epic. 

"The Suburbanite's Ingenious Alarm" sounds like fun. This was a 1907 film directed by Porter. 

New York Clipper, 01-February-1908

Lubin's Marvel -- May 3, 2024

New York Clipper, 01-February-1908

The Lubin Manufacturing Company was a pioneering film production company founded in 1902 in Philadelphia by Siegmund Lubin. Lubin later produced movies in Jacksonville, Florida and Los Angeles, California. I did not know that they also built and sold projectors like Lubin's Marvel the Cineograph.

Motography, 01-August-1914

Lively Times in a Quiet Place While Waiting for a Train -- April 4, 2024

New York Clipper, 01-February-1908

The American Mutoscope and Biograph Company was an early American producer and manufacturer. Biograph offered its own productions, many made at the famous studio at 11 East 14th Street in Manhattan. "Lonesome Junction" is set in a train station in the "heart of the Rockies." I wish the photo had come out clearer.  

Paley's Kala-Techno-Scope Exchange -- March 2, 2024

New York Clipper, 02-February-1904

"Machines and Films Bought, Sold, Exchanged and Rented."

Boston Film Exchange -- February 4, 2024

New York Clipper, 28-February-1903

The Boston Film Exchange offered to buy sell or trade "second-hand films, song slides and machines."

Fire! Fire! Fire! -- January 4, 2023

New York Clipper, 28-February-1903

In January 1903, Edison released Edwin S Porter's "Life of an American Fireman."  It became a very influential movie in a very short time.  The movie tells a complete story in about half a reel. This Edison ad describes each shot of the movie except the alternating inside and outside shots at the end. 

The Theatre of Science by Robert Grau, 1914

Lubin's New Improved Patent Film -- December 2, 2023

New York Clipper, 28-March-1903

The Lubin Manufacturing Company was a pioneering film production company founded in 1902 in Philadelphia by Siegmund Lubin. Lubin later produced movies in Jacksonville, Florida and Los Angeles, California.

The Oberammergau Passion Play is performed in the Bavarian village every ten years. The Passion Play became a hot topic and several producers made adaptions. Lubin's was made in 1900.

In 1899, Jim Jeffries defeated Bob Fitzsimmons to take his heavyweight title. On 25-July-1902, they fought a rematch in San Francisco. Fitzsimmons broke Jeffries' nose, but Jeffries knocked him cold in the 8th.

San Francisco Examiner, 26-July-1922

Edison Projecting Kinetoscopes and Films -- November 3, 2023

New York Clipper, 18-April-1903

The Edison Manufacturing Company offered projectors and films. The films included "Sir Thomas Lipton and the Launching of Shamrock III." British yachtsman Sir Thomas Lipton, founder of the tea company, tried to win the America's Cup five times between 1899 and 1930, always with a boat named Shamrock.  He never won, but he was widely respected for his sportsmanship. Perhaps this was film of the launching of the Shamrock III in 1903:

http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2013/09/sir-thomas-lipton-again-fails-to-lift.html

Note that each film could be ordered by telegram using a single code word. This was easier than describing the film or telegraphing a complicated order number.