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For some months during 1950-51 the back page of the Australian magazine "Radio and Hobbies”
carried an advertisement for a quite fascinating toy called the 'Dux Movie Projector'. Precious
little information was given other than that it was English built and cost, in those pre-decimal
currency days £3/10/3 and there was a 'wide variety of films available at 2/11 each'. When
eventually, a Dux Cine (to give it its proper designation) turned up in the window of a local toyshop,
it was LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT …

Much time was spent after
school, nose against the store
window, trying to figure out the
operational details of this curious
battery and clockwork operated
device. It was an occasion for
much excitement when a cousin
and I, between us, eventually
managed to save the requisite
sum and purchased our very own
movie projector.
Over the next few years I
acquired several other simple
projectors, eventually ending up,
at age 16, with a 'real proper' 8
mm Eumig. By then I would
never have believed that, around
15 years later, unearthing an
example of that long since
disposed of Dux would become
a burning ambition. As the
accompanying photos suggest,
my search was ultimately
successful.

Levenson’s 1950 advertisement in Radio & Hobbies magazine I guess that's enough of my
personal involvement with
juvenile motion picture hardware. Assuming Mike considers that enough Reel Deals readers might
be interested, in part two we will have closer look at the Dux Cine, its mechanism and some of
its forebears.
[End or part one]

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