We buy old projectors. Contact sgardiakos(omit)@aol.com The magic of moving images has enthralled humanity since the times of ancient Greece and Rome. Find out about the amazing machinery behind that evolution as you explore www.bioscope.biz
Ever since I can remember I collected “things”, all kind of “things”.
My father, Spero, was a master watch maker and jeweler and he had every
kind of tool, everything from antique to modern needed and not needed
to ply his profession. Most of his tools are still in our house in
Kalamata, Greece. I cannot part with them. They serve no useful purpose
packed in boxes. Yet they are still there.
My Mother, Chrysoula,
was the same way. She saved most everything that came to her. Everything
from books, 78 rpm records, old tools, kitchen and household apparatus
to keys and locks. I loved buying old things to give my mother to add to
her unusual collection. Above all she liked to collect and nurture
plants, all kinds, from common to exotic. She had a green thumb;
everything she touched grew and flourished.
My wife, Irlanda, is a
collector as well. She loves collecting books, furniture, art, and
whatever may suit her fancy at the time. This has been very fortunate
for me as I so often hear from men “Oh, I can’t buy this, my wife wont
let me bring it in the house”, how sad.
In May 5,1997, My good friend
Hally Haight Sr. whose family was the first to settle what is now
Naperville, here in Illinois, told me “I bet you don’t have a movie
theatre projector” I replied that I did not. He told me that a friend of
his had recently acquired such an item and wanted to sell it right
away. I immediately went to see it, it was a disaster, but it attracted
me, I bought it for $50.00, took it home and proceeded to remove the
rust and to clean it up. I immediately started doing research on what at
the time was an unusual “thing” in my possession. I soon tracked down
two projectionists, Paul Dorobialski and Don Hegelson whose help made it
possible to return this Simplex projector (serial number 1050) to full
functionality.
I have since than met and corresponded with many
others who collect these odd movie machines and have found them to be
the nicest people in the world. All have been helpful in adding to my
knowledge in this very specialized field.
Through my bidding on
ebay I had the good fortune to meet George Panagiotides who has the
finest collection of old telegraphy and antique electric devices from
the dawn of that era in Greece. He found and bought for me the oldest
known Greek made projector, the 35mm Greek made film cutter &
viewer, other cinematic, electronic and scientific devices. I also met
George Kordelakos who has the finest collection of odd size film devices
in Greece. And among my Greek friends I cannot forget Niko Theodosiou
who is the foremost authority on the history of the Greek movie
industry. I also wish to thank Mr. Christos Riganas, a great sculptor
for his gift of the Cinenechanica projector.
Through ebay I had
the good fortune to correspond with Allan Osborne of Australia, who has
beyond doubt the finest collection of this nation’s cinematic machines,
many being unique. His collection is surely a national treasure that is
unrecognized in Australia.
Here in the Chicago
area, we are very fortunate to have the Carey Williams collection of
movie projectors and movie cameras, which is with out doubt the largest
and best collection on the planet, a collection with out peer, in
private hands and possibly better than most cinematic equipment museums.
Carey’s knowledge and archives have been of primary importance in my
research on movie projectors. His willingness to help has no limits.
Through Carey I had the privilege of meeting the very erudite George
hall, the curator of the “Silent Museum” in Tucson Arizona, who has
encouraged and helped in my research in this field, particularly with
the Animatoscope.
I have also had the honor of corresponding with John Barnes, author of the monumental five volume work The Beginnings of the Cinema in England 1894-1901
who has vindicated my belief that the Warwick Bioscope in my collection
is indeed part of the batch of the very first 50 Bioscopes made in New
York City.
I also wish to thank Ray Phillips, author of Edison’s Kinetoscope and its films – A History to 1896 dealing
with the “peephole” Kinetoscope. Until recently he had on of the very
few peephole Kinetoscopes in private hands which he has used as a guide
to manufacture faithful reproductions of this most highly important
machine. His machines are in museums and private collections. He was
kind to send me a complete list of where he sold these machines which
are listed in my book on Kinematic Peephole Machines.
I cannot
forget to thank Martin Koerber of the Potsdam Film Museum who along with
Dietmar Linke spent their valuable time identifying the specific model
number of my prized Messter Thaumatograph. I also had the good fortune
in corresponding with Christian Ilgner, who is no longer with us, and
who sent me valuable information on Peephole machines.
I have met and
corresponded with many others in this field, from collectors to Museum
curators and wish to thank all of them for taking their time to help me
answer my questions on cinematic machinery in general and in identifying
some of the projectors in my collection in particular.
In the
following pages you will view my collection of some common, rare and
unique cinematic equipment. I have tried to describe them as accurately
as possible. I am sure there are many errors and omissions, and they are
all mine. Your help will be greatly appreciated if you would write me
pointing out such errors and or omissions.
Soterios Gardiakos
May 29, 2008