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A Rarity: A Cassette of 11.5 mm Film Found

A cartridge of a short - lived rarity was
recently purchased on eBay by Australian
collector Rodney Bourke.
The film looks a bit like a slightly oversized
version of 9.5 mm, even down to the centre
perforation.
The 11.5 mm film is in its original camera
cartridge, which is embossed with the words
“DUPLEX Photo-Scope Long Island City.
N.Y.”
A close up of the 11.5 mm film behind a sample of
There is very little to be found on the Internet 9.5 mm film showing the similar formats and
about this film, once you ignore all the usual relative sizes. Note: The example is camera
false leads that come up with any Internet film, so there are no images on it.
search.
With Kodak’s 16 mm and Pathex’s 9.5 mm
systems introduced to the US market in 1923,
it would have been an uphill battle to make
traction with yet another format coming from
a small company.

There obviously must have been a camera - the
sample is unexposed film after all - but a
projector was found on the internet, shown in
the advertisement reproduced below. Above: The 11.5 mm cassette compared to a 9.5
At left a frame of 11.5 mm film
Credits:
Above images supplied by Rodney
Bourke.

Images at left are from internet
web site by Chad Hunter

Why 11.5 mm? There have been many different sizes of
film introduced over the years. Many were based on the
fact that raw film was often supplied 35 mm wide, either
perforated or unperforated.

Using a sub-multiple of 35, meant no wastage. 17.5 mm
(½ 35 mm) was a popular size in various formats.
Well … 11.5 X 3 = 35, allowing for a little wastage - just
maybe!

March 2021 REEL DEALS 25