These early motion-picture machines use flip cards on a reel similar in function to a flip book. Early machines allowed the customer to control the speed via a crank and they were extremely popular in amusement parts from 1900 to well beyond when manufacturing stopped in the 50's. Some can still be found in use in amusement parks today.
The light bulbs illuminating the marquees on the cast iron Mutoscopes in this video are actual working antique carbon filament tipped bulbs. Lighting for machines in the Secret Town Arcade endeavors to match the vintage of the bulbs with the time-period of the machines whenever the bulbs are visible to the player.
Early 1900’s mutoscopes were heavy cast iron designs, in the 1920’s manufacturing rights moved to the International Mutoscope Reel Company using a lighter sheet metal (AKA 'tin' mutoscope) design which continued through the 1940’s. As there were many reels to procure, some other companies made their own machines that were compatible, often in wood enclosures and motor driven on the later models.
8 сен 2024
