30th Apr, 2024 13:00

Photographs & Optical Toys

Lot 315

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A Watchmakers Lathe, With Provenance

A watchmaker's Lathe, c.1900, unsigned, with triangular bar, interchangeable chucks and collets, tool post, stock, rest and other items, mounted on a later metal bed,

Provenance: the lathe comes with a letter dated 1988 which reads:

PROVENANCE of small lathe and accessories

entrusted to Stephen Herbert for safe

care and keeping.

The lathe was originally mounted on the central bench in the

private laboratory in 1'Institute Marey, in the south-west of

Paris, in which Lucien Bull worked for many years.

It was collected from there, together with small tools and

many accessories, on Saturday afternoon 5 September 1970 and

taken round to Lucien's flat at 14 rue du Général Delestraint.

(Transport was provided by a kindly neighbour in her small car.)

It was then packed, as carefully as possible, into three card-

board cartons tied with string in order not to attract too much

attention on the journey to the U.K.

On Sunday afternoon, Ray Beaumont-Craggs came to tea at Lucien's

flat and took away the cartons with him (he lived at Versailles

at that time).

A week or two later Ray Beaumont-Craggs arrived at 172 Forest Hill

Road with the cartons - complete and not interfered with, having

been smuggled through Customs very successfully!

Subsequently, over the winter of 1970/1971 a length of rolled-steel

joist was obtained and made ready to receive the lathe; the choice

of a piece of steel of fairly heavy cross-section was intended to

minimise any vibration when working on small components. The whole

was then mounted on a base-board, together with a motor, as it is

The motor is a new one (AC 50cycles 240 volts) as the old

today.

one (220 volts D.C.) was left in Paris deliberately, no longer

being suitable for operation in the UK.

The above is an accurate account

extracted from old diaries by

S.W.B.

Comes with a page from the British Journal of Photography 1966 showing Lucien Bull nest to the lathe.

Lucien Bull, Born in Dublin, Ireland, hailed from a diverse background, with a British father and a French mother named Gabrielle Joune. His formative years were spent in Dublin, where he attended school and resided with his parents. In 1894, Bull embarked on a journey to France initially to visit his aunts. However, captivated by the allure of the region, he decided to settle there permanently. It was in France that his path intersected with that of Étienne-Jules Marey, a renowned physiologist with a keen interest in capturing and studying human movement.

In 1895, Bull found himself in the role of an assistant to Marey. At the time, Marey was engrossed in developing a groundbreaking contraption known as the cinematographic. This innovative device, resembling a rifle in shape, was engineered to capture images of moving objects onto a rotating plate. Often referred to as the "gun camera," this invention paved the way for subsequent advancements in cinematography. Bull, spurred by Marey's pioneering spirit, later conceived a swifter iteration of the camera, thus contributing to its evolution.

The primary objective of this camera was to delve into the intricacies of motion. Functioning as a snapshot mechanism, the "gun camera" captured successive still frames of objects in motion. These snapshots, when scrutinized, enabled researchers to analyze movement patterns with unprecedented precision. Bull achieved a significant breakthrough in 1904, successfully filming the flight of a fly at an astounding speed of 1,200 frames per second.

In addition to his contributions to the "gun camera," Bull also delved into the realm of cinematography by inventing the "spark drum camera." This innovative device emulated the continuous motion of 35-mm film. Operating on the principle of an electromagnetic shutter, the camera exposed two parallel films, which were then wound around drums housed within a meticulously crafted wooden frame.

Through his inventive prowess and collaboration with Marey, Bull left an indelible mark on the field of cinematography, revolutionizing the study of motion and ushering in an era of unparalleled innovation.

Sold for £262

Result including buyers premium