The Barber Shop

0018 

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The Barber Shop

Interior of Barber Shop. Man comes in, takes off his coat ; sits down, smokes ; is handed a paper by attendant, who points out a joke ; both laugh. Meantime the man in the chair is shaved and has his hair cut. Very funny.

EDI 1894-10

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1 Edison (MU 18)  
2 W.K.L. DicksonWilliam Heise  
3 10-17/12/1893 50 ft
 
For the edification of a party of sightseers at the Orange Laboratory last week an improvised barber shop was fitted up and the services of a nearby tonsorial artist were secured. An attendant at the laboratory took a seat in, the chair and the machine was set in motion. The barber athered his man, and than proceeded to shave him in regulation style. While the barber was at work several pretended customers entered, and one showed the barber a humourous paragraph in a newpaper. When the strip of gelatine was again passed through the kinetograph every detail of the shave, every motion of the barber's hands, each expression of the men's faces were reproduced so perfectly and so well timed that the spectators could see the scenes repeated in the machine.
Boston Post, Boston, 17 décembre 1893, p. 15.
4 États-Unis. West Orange (N.J.). Black Maria.  
Barber Shop (Edison, 1895)  

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10/03/1894 États-Unis. West Orange (N.J.). Black Maria. Thomas A. Edison A barber shop...
 
The kinetoscope in Mr. Edison's work-shop, which was exhibited to a reporter, contains a picture of a barber shop. There is the barber about an inch in height standing at his chair and three victims waiting to be shaved. But waiting is not the correct word to use of this picture. One of the lilliputian actors rises and walks across the picture to the chair, site down and is tilted back. The apron and towels are adjusted in a trice with no gentleness (it is a 5 cent shop), and the hand of the barber moves professionally over the patron's face and under his chin before the proper razor is chosen.
The razor is slapped vigorously over the strap a few times, and then begins a 5 cent shave that resembles the swing of a scythe in the hands of a farmer.
The Times, Trenton, March 10, 1894, p. 8.
The kinetoscope which is in Mr. Edison's workshop, contains a picture of a barber-shop. Looking into it one sees the barber and three men waiting to be shaved. One of the men rises and walks across the picture to the chair, sits down and the barber goes through all the customary operations of shaving a man. Every motion of the barber from the stropping of the razor to the brushing of the man's hair, is reproduced, and the actions of the men who are waiting to be shaved are also reproduced.
New York Herald, New York, 11 March 1894, p. 2.
28/05/1894 États-UnisChicago. 148 State street.   A barber shop 
16/07/1894 FranceParis. Salle des Dépêches du Petit Parisien. Petit Parisien Un magasin de coiffure 
 

Si la scène représentée est un magasin de coiffure, on remarque le client qui s'assied sur un fauteuil et les garçons qui s'empressent autour de lui, procédant à leurs manipulations habituelles, jusqu'à ce qu'il s'en aille, rasé, poudré, calamistré selon les règles du métier et fasse place à un autre client.


Le Petit Parisien, Paris, 18 juillet 1894, p. 2.

16/08/1894 États-Unis. New York. Brooklyn. Maguire & Baucus A Bowery Barber Shop
04/06/1895 Grande-BretagneÎle de Man. Derby Castle. H. S. Williams  The Interior of a Barber's Shop
 

Perhaps the simplest method of explanation will be to describe an actual scene. Among many subjects thus far secured for the Kinetoscope is the interior of a barber’s shop. The beholder, who is looking down through the window of the Kinetoscope cabinet, sees the interior of a barber’s shop. A man is reclining upon a barber’s chair about to be shaved. The barber goes to his case, secures his cup, makes a lather with which he proceeds to lather the man’s face. Meanwhile, a coloured gentleman, who is probably acting in the capacity of porter, boot-black, and Jack-of-all-trades, is moving about the room. He picks up a newspaper and sits down to read it. Another customer comes in; pulls off hat and coat; the smoke is plainly seen rising from his pipe; picks up a paper to read and await his turn. The coloured gentleman, aforesaid, finds something very funny in the newspaper he is reading, and thereupon he crosses the room and points out the amusing article to the waiting customer. They both laugh and show every sign of amusement. Meanwhile the barber has been shaving his man, and both the “shaver” and the “shevee” have been going through many motions, the one plainly evincing his desire to hurry through the work of shaving and be ready for the “next.” Now, it should be understood that this is not an imaginary scene, emanating from the pencil or brush of some artist: but it is an accurate photograph of a scene which has actually taken place. Every movement, from the walking of the man across the floor to the sweep of the razor, is recorded, and is witnessed by the beholder through the window of the Kinetoscope.


Isle of Man Times, 4 June 1895, 2.

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