Early Cinema Collection

Mrs J. S. Blackton, c. 1910-15 (b/w photo)
5669208 Mrs J. S. Blackton, c.1910-15 (b/w photo) by American Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Paula Hilburn Blackton (1881-1930) American actress and film director

Pastor Charles Taze, c. 1910 (b/w photo)
5669195 Pastor Charles Taze, c.1910 (b/w photo) by American Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916)

J. Stuart Blackton directing a scene in the Vitagraph Studios film "Battle Cry of Peace", 1915 (b / w photo)
5669199 J. Stuart Blackton directing a scene in the Vitagraph Studios film " Battle Cry of Peace", 1915 (b/w photo) by Bain, George Grantham - Bain News Service (1865-1944)

J. Stuart Blackton, Joseph Kilgour and Harry T. Morey during the filming of the Vitagraph Studios film "Battle Cry
5669201 J. Stuart Blackton, Joseph Kilgour and Harry T. Morey during the filming of the Vitagraph Studios film " Battle Cry of Peace", 1915 (b/w photo) by Bain

J. Stuart Blackton on horseback during the filming of the Vitagraph Studios film "Battle Cry of Peace"
5669200 J. Stuart Blackton on horseback during the filming of the Vitagraph Studios film " Battle Cry of Peace", 1915 (b/w photo) by Bain, George Grantham - Bain News Service (1865-1944)

Spooners protean views, no. 5. The magic lantern, c. 1838 (hand-coloured litho)
5669194 Spooners protean views, no. 5. The magic lantern, c.1838 (hand-coloured litho) by Spooner, William (fl.1831-54); Private Collection

J. Stuart Blackton on horseback during the filming of the Vitagraph Studios film "Battle Cry of Peace"
5669198 J. Stuart Blackton on horseback during the filming of the Vitagraph Studios film " Battle Cry of Peace", 1915 (b/w photo) by Bain, George Grantham - Bain News Service (1865-1944)

Film laboratories at Carlton Motion Picture Co. with five men
5671570 Film laboratories at Carlton Motion Picture Co. with five men and one woman working with film, splicing etc. New York

Ad Omnia Leonardo da Vinci, thought to be a self portrait of the artist (oil on canvas)
LST204010 Ad Omnia Leonardo da Vinci, thought to be a self portrait of the artist (oil on canvas) by Melies, Georges (1861-1938); 63.5x52 cm; Private Collection; (add.info)

Princess Theatre, Detroit, c. 1900 (b / w photo)
5669197 Princess Theatre, Detroit, c.1900 (b/w photo) by Detroit Photographic Co. (fl.1898-1900); Private Collection; American, out of copyright

Small screening room at the Empire Film Co (possibly at Broadway and 55th Street
5671597 Small screening room at the Empire Film Co (possibly at Broadway and 55th Street) with four men working, New York

Main office / reception room at the Mutual Film Co. with secretary at desk
5671596 Main office/reception room at the Mutual Film Co. with secretary at desk, people at a table reading, and portraits on wall, New York

Film laboratories at Carlton Motion Picture Co. with five men
5671573 Film laboratories at Carlton Motion Picture Co. with five men and one woman working with film, splicing etc. New York

A huge theater with an elaborate facade, complete with Moorish arches and balconies
5671568 A huge theater with an elaborate facade, complete with Moorish arches and balconies. A large sign on top of the building reads B.S. Moss Regent Theatre Vaudeville & Feature Films

Poster advertising a grand magic lantern exhibition, 1880s (litho)
5669193 Poster advertising a grand magic lantern exhibition, 1880s (litho) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; American, out of copyright

Edisons greatest marvel--The Vitascope, 1896 (colour lithograph)
5854133 Edisons greatest marvel--The Vitascope, 1896 (colour lithograph) by American School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Vitascope, an early motion picture projector)

Empire Film Co. motion picture laboratory (possibly at Broadway and 55th Street
5671601 Empire Film Co. motion picture laboratory (possibly at Broadway and 55th Street) with men working and reels of film and cameras

Still from the film Sixty Years a Queen, c. 1914 (b / w photo)
5671586 Still from the film Sixty Years a Queen, c.1914 (b/w photo) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); Museum of the City of New York, USA; eMuseum of the City of New York; American, out of copyright

Cinephone Co. a theater at 124 E. 25th Street, with men seated in front of the movie
5671567 Cinephone Co. a theater at 124 E. 25th Street, with men seated in front of the movie screen, 1910 (b/w photo) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); Museum of the City of New York

Empire Film Co, New York, 1910 (b / w photo)
5671590 Empire Film Co, New York, 1910 (b/w photo) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); Museum of the City of New York, USA; eMuseum of the City of New York; American, out of copyright

Empire Film Co. motion picture laboratory (possibly at Broadway and 55th Street
5671575 Empire Film Co. motion picture laboratory (possibly at Broadway and 55th Street) with men working and reels of film and cameras

Dressler & Co. motion picture laboratory with men working, New York, 1911 (b / w photo)
5671572 Dressler & Co. motion picture laboratory with men working, New York, 1911 (b/w photo) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); Museum of the City of New York

Still from the film Sixty Years a Queen, c. 1914 (b / w photo)
5671611 Still from the film Sixty Years a Queen, c.1914 (b/w photo) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); Museum of the City of New York, USA; eMuseum of the City of New York; American, out of copyright

Side of a theater, playing the silent film Across the Pacific, 1914 (b / w photo)
5671607 Side of a theater, playing the silent film Across the Pacific, 1914 (b/w photo) by Bracklow, Robert (1849-1919); Museum of the City of New York

Empire Film Co (possibly at Broadway and 55th Street) with movie posters on wall
5671604 Empire Film Co (possibly at Broadway and 55th Street) with movie posters on wall and customers waiting, 1910 (b/w photo) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); Museum of the City of New York

South-west corner of 14th Street and 3rd Avenue showing the Star Candies store, a dentist
5671602 South-west corner of 14th Street and 3rd Avenue showing the Star Candies store, a dentist, the Regal Shoe store and the Empire Film Co

Empire Film Co, New York, 1910 (b / w photo)
5671587 Empire Film Co, New York, 1910 (b/w photo) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); Museum of the City of New York, USA; eMuseum of the City of New York; American, out of copyright

Mount Vernon Theatre, 918 Ninth Street Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia, DC
5669748 Mount Vernon Theatre, 918 Ninth Street Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia, DC, 30th November 1969 (b/w photo) by American Photographer

Poster for the Pathe silent film La Veuve du Marin, 1907 (colour litho)
5669205 Poster for the Pathe silent film La Veuve du Marin, 1907 (colour litho) by Faria, Candido Aragonez de (1849-1911); 117.5x158 cm; Private Collection; Brazilian, out of copyright

Mount Vernon Theatre, 918 Ninth Street Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia, DC
5669796 Mount Vernon Theatre, 918 Ninth Street Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia, DC, 30th November 1969 (b/w photo) by American Photographer

Mount Vernon Theatre, 918 Ninth Street Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia, DC
5669738 Mount Vernon Theatre, 918 Ninth Street Northwest, Washington, District of Columbia, DC, 30th November 1969 (b/w photo) by American Photographer

70-72 Monroe Avenue (Commercial Building), Detroit, Michigan (b / w photo)
5669788 70-72 Monroe Avenue (Commercial Building), Detroit, Michigan (b/w photo) by American Photographer, (20th century); (add.info.: Last pre-Civil War commercial block in Detroit)

Interior of Coney Island club house, c. 1899 (b / w photo)
5669781 Interior of Coney Island club house, c.1899 (b/w photo) by American Photographer, (19th century); American, out of copyright

Jeffries-Sharkey pictures - under the direction of Wm. A. Brady & Thos
5669761 Jeffries-Sharkey pictures - under the direction of Wm. A. Brady & Thos. O Rourke, 1899 (litho) by American School

Mutual Film Co. 1600 Broadway, New York, 1918 (b / w photo)
5671584 Mutual Film Co. 1600 Broadway, New York, 1918 (b/w photo) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); Museum of the City of New York, USA; eMuseum of the City of New York; American, out of copyright

Colonial Motion Picture Corporations Manhattan studio with people milling about at
5671583 Colonial Motion Picture Corporations Manhattan studio with people milling about at entrance, New York, 1915 (b/w photo) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); Museum of the City of New York

The Casino Theatre at night, crowds and cars, and constuction workers digging in street
5671566 The Casino Theatre at night, crowds and cars, and constuction workers digging in street, Broadway and 39th St. New York

First floor facade of 122-124 E. 25th Street, the Camera Building
5671615 First floor facade of 122-124 E. 25th Street, the Camera Building, American Cinephone Company, American Kinograph Company and doorman, New York

Still from the film Sixty Years a Queen, c. 1914 (b / w photo)
5671614 Still from the film Sixty Years a Queen, c.1914 (b/w photo) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); Museum of the City of New York, USA; eMuseum of the City of New York; American, out of copyright

Still from the film Sixty Years a Queen, c. 1914 (b / w photo)
5671613 Still from the film Sixty Years a Queen, c.1914 (b/w photo) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); Museum of the City of New York, USA; eMuseum of the City of New York; American, out of copyright

Film storage room at the Mutual Film Co. with poster of Charlie Chaplin, New York
5671593 Film storage room at the Mutual Film Co. with poster of Charlie Chaplin, New York, 1918 (b/w photo) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); Museum of the City of New York

Retail area at the Empire Film Co (possibly at Broadway and 55th Street
5671576 Retail area at the Empire Film Co (possibly at Broadway and 55th Street) with canisters of film, New York, 1910 (b/w photo) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); Museum of the City of New York

Dressler & Co. motion picture laboratory with people working, New York, 1911 (b / w photo)
5671571 Dressler & Co. motion picture laboratory with people working, New York, 1911 (b/w photo) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); Museum of the City of New York

Dressler & Co. Factory, Motion Picture Machines, New York, 1911 (b / w photo)
5671569 Dressler & Co. Factory, Motion Picture Machines, New York, 1911 (b/w photo) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); Museum of the City of New York, USA; eMuseum of the City of New York; American

George Kleine presents, The Last Days of Pompeii
Colour poster, George Kleine presents, The Last Days of Pompeii, a spectacular photo-drama c1913

Filming the chariot race from Ben-Hur, 1925 (b / w photo)
XJF406240 Filming the chariot race from Ben-Hur, 1925 (b/w photo) by American Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

The Keystone Kops, c. 1915 (b / w photo)
XJF406242 The Keystone Kops, c.1915 (b/w photo) by American Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Welcome to our chief and his bride ; ); American, out of copyright

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Early cinema, a captivating era that revolutionized the world of entertainment, holds within its frames a myriad of fascinating moments. In this collection of photographs, we catch glimpses of pioneers and visionaries who shaped the course of cinematic history. Mrs J. S. Blackton, captured in black and white around 1910-15, stands as a testament to the significant role women played in early cinema. Her presence behind the scenes reflects the diverse talents that contributed to this burgeoning industry. Pastor Charles Taze's photograph from circa 1910 transports us back to an era where even religious figures found themselves drawn to the magic of moving pictures, and is a reminder that cinema had an impact on all facets of society. J. Stuart Blackton takes center stage as he directs a scene for "Battle Cry of Peace" at Vitagraph Studios in 1915. His passion and dedication shine through his focused gaze, showcasing his pioneering spirit in bringing stories to life on screen. The camaraderie between J. Stuart Blackton, Joseph Kilgour, and Harry T. Morey during the filming process further emphasizes the collaborative nature inherent in filmmaking during this time period. A striking image captures J. Stuart Blackton on horseback while filming "Battle Cry of Peace. " This snapshot encapsulates both adventure and innovation as filmmakers pushed boundaries by taking their craft outdoors. In contrast to these motion-filled images are Spooners protean views' hand-colored lithograph depicting "The Magic Lantern" from 1838—a precursor to modern cinema technology—reminding us how far we have come since those early days when light projected onto screens first mesmerized audiences. Film laboratories at Carlton Motion Picture Co. , with five men diligently working away amidst reels upon reels of film stock, provide insight into the meticulous craftsmanship required behind-the-scenes—an essential aspect often overlooked but vital for creating movie magic.