These next photos are all from an article in the September 1938 issue titled TRANS-AFRICA SAFARI by Lawrence and Margaret Thaw. Although the purpose of this safari is not clearly defined in the article, the Thaws were apparently gathering still photos and movie footage for commercial purposes. (They even had along a professional cameraman who assisted them in shooting the 35mm movie footage.) This first photo was taken in French Equatorial Africa near Fort Archambault in the country of the Ubangi natives (some of whom might have been part of the contingent that had toured with Ringling-Barnum in the early 1930s.) The lower lip of this woman is holding what appears to be the top cover of a metal can used for holding a 1000-foot roll of 35mm movie film and measuring about 10 inches in diameter. |
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
1938 National Geographic #2
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6 comments:
Eric,
That for sure is a Eastman 35mm 1000 foot film can. If you look close in the middle of the can is the old E K C logo, Eastman kodak Company.
And it would be rare for the native to have that can as when done shooting the film was put in a bag and then in the can and taped to be sent back to the lab for processing.
And in the 1930's all that film was nitrate stock and easy to burn.
Harry
I've got some of those film cans
Harry & I'm sure we could come up
with some "authenticity" papers
to add them to your collection
Kodak missed a great personal endorsement by not publicizing this use of their discarded film cans.
Yes Kodak sure did miss a great endorsement deal here but with all the 35mm film Hollywood used the money was rolling in big time.
And times have changed and digital you can be sure has really hurt them.
I still use and shoot Kodachrome which I have hundreds of rolls BUT the last lab that processes it will stop on Dec. 31st. Boo Hoo
Please do not take my Kodachrome away from me.
Chic, Sure will take you up on those film cans and add them to my collection. I am a born pack rat.
Harry
You can have the cans Harry but
I was kidding about authenticity
Didn't Simon and Garfunkel sing a lyric "Momma don't take my Kodachrome away . . . "
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