Party Fun With This FREAK Camera (May, 1932)
Party Fun With This FREAK Camera
IF YOU are looking for something different in party entertainment, perhaps a freak camera similar to that shown here will help.
This camera started life as a store box. A little paint and a trimming of lantern-slide tape transformed it into something resembling a camera. From that point the construction consisted of attaching accessories that have no connection with photography.
One of these devices is a pair of bells arranged so that coins dropped into slots will ring them one at a time. It was desired to photograph a “hot” subject, so the camera was equipped with an electric cigar-lighter unit mounted inside a small tin can, and covered with a piece of wire screen. Slightly moistened sawdust placed on the screen produced an abundance of smoke.To extinguish the fire, water, retained in a length of garden hose, and drawn from a faucet on the side of the camera, was used.
To produce a crash when the “shutter” was operated, a swinging hammer, operated by a strong coil spring, demolished an old photoflash bulb held in a socket.
Seems like an awful lot of work, for what exactly?
Do you ever get the feeling that the writer’s of these party articles just imagined what might be fun if they were ever invited?
I’m so glad I grew up in the days of sex and drugs and rock and roll.