Recently I had a chance, through my dear friend Ted Rae, to represent 2 cameras that were part of Jim Danforth’s studio. For those who may not know of Jim and his work, Jim is a modern day renaissance man. He is an accomplished matte painter, fine art artist, illustrator, model maker, sculptor, puppet maker, stop motion animator, machinist, production designer, camera technician, cameraman, visual effects supervisor, and filmmaker. Jim’s career includes his involvement in television and films like “The Circus of Dr. Lao” (1962), “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World” (1963), “When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth” (1970), “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” (1971), “Diamonds are Forever” (1971), and many more. This offering is for Jim’s Bell & Howell 2709, serial # 823, originally purchased by the Ruby Camera Exchange in 1928. Ruby Camera Exchange was a rental house and distributor of motion picture equipment established in 1910. The second camera is a Mitchell GCN, serial #1332, originally purchased by the Orlando Air Force Base in 1959. Orlando Air Force Base was established in 1940 as the center of the Interceptor Command School. Later, in 1952, the Air Photographic and Charting Service was relocated from Philadelphia to Orlando.
