Le kineoptikon de Birt Acres (South Wales Art Gallery, 10 avril 1896)

Kineopticon, Fine Art (1896)
Reproduit dans: BARNES, 1988: 71.

Birt Acres organise une projection cinématographique à la South Wales Art Gallery en avril :

THE KINEOPTICON.
A SUCCESSFUL DEMONSTRATION OF ITS POWERS.
Mr. Birt Acres, whose pioneer efforts in photography have made his name a household word among photographers all over the kingdom, gave a demonstration of the powers of his remarkable invention, the kineopticon, at the South Wales Art Gallery, Cardiff, on Friday evening. There was a large attendance, invitations having been issued by the Cardiff Photographic Society. Mr. S. W. Allen, in introducing Mr. Acres, said that the instrument had created a sensation in London and many of our large towns, but remarked that the pictures about to be thrown upon the screen by Mr. Acres would be more sharply defined if the electric light could have been utilised instead of limelight. Visitors to the Cardiff Exhibition, however, would have an opportunity of seeing these wonderfull photographs with all the advantages of electricity, and Mr. Acres would give frequent demonstrations in the model of the old Cardiff Town-hall. Mr. Acres, before proceeding to show his pictures, explained the technicalities of the invention, and referred to some of the difficulties with which he had to contend in bringing it to its present, state of perfection. The density of the gelatine films upon which the photographs were taken, combined with the comparatively dull limelight, made it impossible for him to present such pictures as he would like, but he was manufacturing a new and more transparent film, with combined with the extra power of the electric light, would enable him later on to give some very vivid pictures. The pictures—nine in number—were then thrown upon the screen. The subjects were varied, and included representations of men playing cards, a review of troops by the Emperor of Germany, the feeding of a tiger at the Zoo, the Derby Race (1895), and a coast scene at Dover. The two last were productive of' considerable enthusiasm among the audience, and the demonstrator was cheered again and again. The race for the Derby showed the course being cleared, the preliminary canter, the exciting finish, and the surging of the crowd immediately after the race. The picture was a vivid one, and was repeated at the request of one of the members of the audience. The representation of the waves at Dover was very real, and as each breaker rolled in rounds of applause were accorded by the delighted spectators. This was the longest of the pictures, and, as showing the number of photographs required to produce a scene like this, it was stated that this wave representation was the result of 2,500 separate photographs. At the close Mr. Acres was accorded a hearty vote of thanks upon the proposition of Mr. S. W. Allen, seconded by Mr. T. H. Thomas.

---

Evening Express, Cardiff, samedi 11 avril 1896, p. 3.

Le kineopticon de Birt Acres (Town Hall, 30 avril-[29] mai 1896)

Birt Acres revient à Cardiff à la fin du mois d'avril pour de nouvelles séances au Town Hall. Un première soirée a lieu le 30 avril :

THE KINEOPTICON.
Mr. Bert Acres' wonderful kineopticon now occupies a place in the Town-hall of Old Cardiff, and entertainments will be given at frequent intervals throughout the day. Visitors should not miss it. It is one of the most entertaining and marvellous things of modern times. The initial demonstration was given by Mr. Acres to an invited Audience on Tuesday afternoon. Mr. S. W. Allen described the apparatus, and Mr. Acres then threw on the screen a "living" photograph, representing the "Arrest of a Pickpocket. The "living" effect is produced by a series of photographs taken rapidly of the movements of the objects in range of the focus of the camera, and in order to produce some of the effect no less than 2,000 separate photographs have had to be taken. These photographs are secured on a continuous film, and, being thrown on the screen by means of the kineopticon at the rate of about twenty per second, one picture gives place to the other before any single one can impress itself on the retina of the eye. In addition to the picture mentioned above, Mr. Acres treated the audience to realistic moving representations of "The Lightning Cartoonist, Tom Merry," "Beer-time in a Carpenter's Shop," "Last Year's Derby" (in which the clearing of the course, the preliminary canter, the race, and the inrush of the crowd are re-produced with wonderful effect). "The German Emperor Reviewing His Troops" (a succession of photographs specially taken by Mr. Bert Acres), and "A Sou'-waves and the dashing spray are faithfully represented.

---

Evening Express, Cardiff, mercredi 6 mai 1896, p. 3.

Au bout de quelques jours, le 9 mai, a lieu l'inauguration de l'Exposition de Cardiff et un entrefilet évoque la présence simultanée de Félicien Trewey et Birt Acres avec leur appareil respectif :

Cardiff is considerably biased in the matter of up-to-date photography just now. At the Exhibition Mr. Birt Acres is showing the kinetoscope, and at the Empire M. Trewey is demonstrating the capabilities of the rival cinematographe. In each case the sea. views are, in my opinion, the best.

---

Evening Express, 13 mai 1896, p. 2. 

Un autre journal régional reprend les informations à la fin du mois : 

CARDIFF EXHIBITION UP TO DATE.
[BY OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]
Visitors should not fail, immediately after passing through the turn-stiles in the grand entrance to turn to the left. Passing under an arch they will find one of the most interesting features of the Exhibition, viz., a representation of a portion of old Cardiff, which we are assured by those competent to pronounce an opinion, is remarkably faithful, as it certainly is attractive and novel, even to the roadway paved with cobbles, from which we have been mercifully saved in this age of Mackadam and steam rollers. The old Town Hall, which witnessed in its time many stirring scenes, is very faithfully reproduced, and is especially worthy of a visit, as in the room upstairs will be found on exhibition, at very frequent intervals, that marvel of later day scientific and inventive skill. The Kineoptikon-Optical instruments, representing figures in motion, are of great antiquity. The zoetrope is a later and quite recent form of this same thing, in which a number of figures fastened on a long strip of paper inserted in a cylindrical vessel, on being looked at through slips in the side of the vessel when made to revolve, give the appearance of the figures being in regular and systematic motion.
This invention consists of photographs upon long ribbons of celuloid—a series of instantaneous photographs taken by a particular form of camera, and projected on a screen by means of an optical lantern. Several of those instruments have been recently on exhibition-the one, for instance, at the Empire, Leicester Square, proving an enormous attraction. It is claimed, however, on behalf of Mr Birt Acres, the inventor of this particular instrument, that he was in the field as early, if not earlier, than the other experts in this remarkable development of optical and electrical science. Mr Acres was specially fortunate in being granted special permission to take continuous photographs by means of his apparatus of the German Emperor reviewing the troops on the occasion of the opening of the Kiel Canal: and also in being granted permission to erect a stand which enabled him in the same way to reproduce last year's Derby with a minuteness of detail which is most astonishing. The dashing of the waves over the Admiralty Pier at Dover is a sight not soon of gotten, and evokes nightly many involuntary exclamations of surprise and alarm. Some of the series consist of as many as 2,000 separate photographs—each of the size of a postage stamp—projected on the screen with such remarkable rapidity that the eye can receive but one single impression, and so the effect is that of a continuous picture, in which the figures represented go through their actions as in real life. As, next to the discovery of the Röntgen rays, this is certainly the most sensational invention since the introduction of photography, we again repeat: Don't miss this—one of the sights of the Exhibition.
The very handsome pavilion, which represents the great Belfast Distillery of Dunvilie's, Limited is bound to attract a crowd of admirers. Every process in the manufacture of their celebrated V.R. Whiskey is shown by means of models, which exhibit a perfection of detail which is truly astonishing. Glasses from which distinguished patrons—such as the Prince of Wales and Mr Gladstone--have drunk are also displayed, and the testimony borne to the excellence of their product must undoubtedly be a source of great pride to the firm which boasts of world-wide patronage on the largest scale.

---

Barry Herald, Cadoston-Barry, vendredi 29 mai 1896, p. 7.

Le kineopticon présente de nouvelles vues en juin :

CARDIFF EXHIBITION.
The Kineopticon,
Mr Bert Acres, the introducer into this country of the "Animated Photography," the display of which in Old Cardiff at the Exhibition has been such a success, was in Cardiff on Saturday and has brought down a magnificent series of slides of Niagara River, falls, and rapids, will which be shown at the Exhibition from to-day for the first time in this country. There are other new views which will greatly add to the interest already centered in the show."

---

South Wales Echo, Cardiff, lundi 22 juin 1896, p. 3.

Le Cinématographe Lumière de Félicien Trewey (The Empire, 16-[22] mai 1896)

Cardiff, The Empire, c. 1899 [D.R.]

Le directeur de l'Empire, Oswald Stoll, engage Félicien Trewey et son cinématographe Lumière à la mi-mai pour quelques jours :

EMPIRES (LIMITED).-Managing Director, Mr Oswald Stoll; Acting-Manager, Mr Lee-This magnificent place of entertainment has since its opening been packed. Thus early Mr Stoll has secured M. Trewey and his recent and most approved novelty the Lumière Cinematographe. Paul Langtry is full of quaint witticisms, Miss Lizzie Valrose is still popular, Abel and Welch introduce much fun in their clever acrobatic performance. Arthur Rosedon's songs go well, Wallis and Langton are a good turn, and the Brothers Webb cleverly manipulate musical instruments of all kinds.

---

The Era, Londres, samedi 16 mai 1896, p. 20.

South Wales Daily News, Cardiff, samedi 16 mai 1896, p . 1.

Le Cinématographe Lumière de Félicien Trewey (The Empire, [6]-[13] juillet 1896)

Le cinématographe Lumière de Félicien Trewey est de retour:

The Empire (Cardiff)
The management of the admirably-appointed Music Hall in Queen-street avec his week again booked M. Trewey's original Lumiere Cinematographe, when new pictures and new views  will be exhibited.

---

South Wales Echo, lundi 6 juillet 1896, p. 3.

Le kineopticon de Birt Acres (Town Hall, <5 août->3 septembre 1896)

En août, Birt Acres est de retour et présente son Kineopticon dans la Town Hall dès les premiers jours d'août :

THE KINEOPTICON.
Then, again, who can sit and watch the rapid succession of pictures thrown on the screen by the kineopticon without being convinced that science is advancing by leaps and bounds. It was comparatively only a few years ago that Edison demonstrated the possibility of, so to speak, bottling up a man's voice for an indefinite period and then being able to reproduce it at will on his absence. Now we have placed upon the market a machine which does for action what the phonograph has done for the voice. Few people, however, realise the complicated nature of the machinery and processes involved in photographing and reproducing the scenes to be viewed every day in Old Cardiff's Town Hall. I had a little conversation with the gentleman in charge of this interesting side show a few days ago. The kineopticon patents, I was informed, belong to Mr Birt Acres, a London inventor. They cover the entire processes of taking photographs at the rate of about 25 or 30 per second by a peculiarly-constructed camera, and projecting the photographs on to a screen at the same rate by an equally wonderful limelight lantern. The former portion of the process, viz., the taking of the photos, has only been practised twice in Cardiff, viz., on the occasion of the Prince of Wales's visit. The latter portion however, that is, the reproduction on a screen of the views taken on the above-mentioned and other occasions, may be seen any afternoon or evening in Old Cardiff.
Mr Birt Acres's representative, whilst expressing his regret that he could not allow me to see the machine itself without breaking their rule of strict secrecy which it is found necessary to exorcise for self-protection, very kindly supplied me with a number of particulars of an entertaining character. The photos are, as I have already stated, taken at the rate of about 30 per second on a riband of sensitized film. From this I understand a film of lantern pictures is prepared, and this is passed through the lantern (at the same rate as the photos were taken) by machinery. This machinery clamps the film tight whilst each picture appears on the screen, thus ensuring its steadiness, and then moves it until the next picture is in position. This movement takes place while the shutter (worked by the same machine) is covering the front of the lantern. I was shown a piece of a broken film. It was a strip of celluloid, about 1 1/4 inches broad, with pictures about 1 inch wide by 2/4in. high, in the middle. Along each side were perforations to enable the machinery to move it with rapidity and accuracy. One would not think that he sees over 25 distinct photos in a second whilst looking at any of the different set of views. Not only is this so, but more wonderful to relate, after every picture has appeared there is a space of time during which (if it can be said to be of any duration at all) absolutely nothing appears on the screen. It is during this time that the changing of the slides, or, properly speaking, the movement of the film, takes place. One of the purposes for which this machine will be extensively utilised is that of enabling us to see faithful representations in, say Cardiff, of what has taken place in some distant country or town. I heat that this week a new set of views will be exhibited representing the recent Royal wedding. Mr Birt Acres, who took very successful views of the Prince and Princess of Wales and party as they entered the Cardiff Exhibition, gave a demonstration of the kineopticon before their Royal Highnesses ab Marlborough House a few weeks ago, and was given permission to photograph the Royal wedding.
Speaking of the Royal visit to Cardiff, the set of views connected with the occasion and now being exhibited is, I am told, 3,000 in number, and contained on a ribbon 90 feet in length. It is indeed a wonderful invention that enables US to see 3,000 pictures in a couple of minute. The natural appearance imparted to the objects in the photos by this rapid succession is most surprising. Taking the one representing the breaking waves, for example, one almost instinctively listens and expects to hear the roar of the water too. Further comment upon the pictures is almost unnecessary. Suffice to say that the inspection of the Exhibition is not complete without a visit to this popular, entertaining, and scientific side show, with which, by the way, Mr S. W. Allen, the man of many parts, has been so closely and enthusiastically associated.

---

South Wales Echo, Cardiff, mercredi 5 août 1896, p. 2.

Les séances se prolongent jusqu'en septembre où sont présentées des vues de manœuvres militaires:

On Thursday next the "Kineopticon" programme will consist of a complete military tournament, the following pictures being shown: —Sword v. Sword, Sword v. Bayonet, Boxing Match, Cleaving the Turk's Head, Mounted Mule Battery, Maypole Dance, and Mounted Quadrille. The latter especially is a very fine picture, and in the photographs of the Mountain Mine Battery the action is shown with much better effect than the actual manœuvres, the clouds of smoke being more susceptible to the lens than to the eye.
--
There is a treat in store for patrons of the "Kineopticon," in Old Cardiff. Those of our readers who attended the recent military tournament may have noticed an arrangement similar to a diminutive barrel-organ at work in front of the grand stand. This was Mr. Birt Acres' kinetic camera, and instead of grinding out popular times, was taking the infinitely more popular animated photographs. At each revolution of the handle twenty photographs were taken, and in all some 1,000ft. of pictures were obtained. The result is a magnificent series of films, which are equal to those taken by Mr. Acres on the occasion of the Royal visit to the Exhibition. The latter were shown at Marlborough House, and created such a sensation that Mr. Acres was given facilities for taking photographs of the wedding procession on the lawn at Marlborough House and Buckingham Palace.

---

Evening Express, Cardiff, jeudi 3 septembre 1896, p. 3.

Le Cinématographe Lumière de Félicien Trewey (The Empire, 18 août 1896)

Le cinématographe Lumière de Félicien Trewey revient pour la troisième fois à l'Empire.

South Wales Echo, mardi 18 août 1896, p. 2.

Le Cinématographe Lumière de Félicien Trewey (The Empire, 5->8 octobre 1896)

Le cinématographe Lumière de Félicien Trewey est à nouveau à l'Empire au mois d'octobre.

South Wales Daily News, lundi 5 octobre 1896, p. 1.

Le Cinématographe Lumière de Félicien Trewey (The Empire, <15> décembre 1896)

Le cinématographe Lumière de Félicien Trewey est à nouveau à l'Empire au mois de décembre.

South Wales Daily News, mardi 15 décembre 1896, p. 4.