1912, overall condition, G-VG, in full working order

Notes: This pump has been fully serviced and overhauled by Gordon at www.vintagepumps.co.uk in 2018.

History: Patented in England in 1910 by Polish inventor Kazimierz Prószyński, the Aeroscope was the first successful hand-held film camera. It operated using compressed air, which was pumped into the camera beforehand with a hand pump similar to a bicycle pump. Unlike other cameras of the time, it did not require a crank to advance the film, allowing the operator to use both hands to hold the camera and adjust the focus. This design made it ideal for handheld filming in challenging conditions, including use in aircraft and military settings. The Aeroscope could hold 400 feet (120 meters) of 35mm film and, once pressurized, could function without additional pumping for up to 10 minutes. It was praised for its simplicity and reliability.

Hundreds of lightweight and relatively compact Aeroscope cameras were used by the British War Office for combat cameramen on World War I battlefields and by newsreel cameramen worldwide until the late 1920s. Among its notable users was Arthur Herbert Malins, recognized by Kelly (1997, p. 60) as “the most famous of the war cinematographers,” who filmed the Battle of the Somme with an Aeroscope. Due to the high number of cameramen who lost their lives while filming from the front lines, the Aeroscope became known as the "camera of death."

In 1928, Prószyński developed an improved version of his camera, featuring an air pressure meter. However, more practical spring-driven cameras like the Eyemo and, later, the Bolex eventually replaced it. Despite this, some of the upgraded Aeroscope cameras were still in use by British combat cameramen at the start of World War II.