The Frank Rider Collection - Spring Classic Part 1 - Day 2
Lot 1065c:
Description
This fascinating piece of early cinematic history is an original Mutoscope flip-reel, a staple of turn-of-the-century arcade entertainment. Produced by the International Mutoscope Reel Co. of New York City, this reel was designed for use in their iconic coin-operated viewing machines, which allowed patrons to view a rapid sequence of images to create the illusion of motion. The subject of this specific reel is a scantily clad dancer, captured in the classic, grainy aesthetic of early 20th-century film—a quintessential example of the “peep show” allure that made these machines so popular in their day. The reel is constructed of a central metal hub featuring patent markings and the subject ID, surrounded by a dense array of original paper cards. The physical condition is consistent with its age and intended use; the metal hub shows patina and light oxidation, while the paper cards exhibit expected edge wear, yellowing, and some fraying, characteristic of a century-old mechanical display. H 3″, W 11″, D 11″. See photos for condition.
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