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shelf after shelf, from the floor to the ceiling,
stacked with amazing vintage equipment. Then
out of the tons of mechanical confusion there it
was right at my eye level-a viewfinder for a
2709. In fact, two of them, but one had been
modified to fit a different camera. Urgent
negotiations followed-at some length; then a
deal was struck. I would supply a stand and all
the fittings to set up their 1913 model Powers
Projector as a working Silent Picture Show
outfit. In return I would get the viewfinder of
my choice. It went straight on, and fitted the
camera dovetail like a glove. Was it, too, the
original?

To end this saga of discovery, there was one
more significant event. Driving past our
letterbox I noticed something in a plastic bag
sticking out. That was odd, because it was a
Sunday. On retrieving the package I opened it
to discover a large yellow covered book.
Attached to it was a rough handwritten note:
"To the owner of the Movie Museum .. . 2709 on its B&H head set up as an early hand-
Thought this may be of interest to you." It was cranked camera from the silent era. It sports the
a special publication to celebrate the Bell & latest speed tachometer to assist the cameraman
Howell Company's 75th Anniversary, a history with speed control.
of the Company's achievements. It was a
treasury of information about Bell & Howell events of our history from the 1930's to the
equipment and the story behind it. Another gift 1970s. The cameras produced an incredibly
from the Gods and the anonymous donor. valuable archive of living history and
contributed to the superb photographic quality
Extra lenses and other bits from my collection of Australian Newsreels.
were machined to fit the 2709 and at last it
became a fully working camera again. Now it But technical progress eventually overtook the
can be used to illustrate an early version in its 2709, starting in the 1920s. The beautiful
"Silent" (pre-"Talkie") mode, hand cranked Mitchell Camera with improved design features
with a 400 ft magazine; or, as a later version slowly took over studio production- it was more
from the 30's to the 70's, motor driven with "user friendly"; while Bell & Howell's attempt
1000 ft magazines. Future development will to make additional attachments to complete
include a sync motor drive and an animation were not all that successful. But the "Bell" still
motor to make the outfit 100% complete. remains a landmark camera in design and
engineering and old production stills will
The first 2709 to come to Australia arrived here continue to remind us of its important role in the
in 1920. It was owned by the famous Higgins world's cinema history.
Brothers and was first used to film "The Man
from Kangaroo". Then it was used on dozens of Finally, may I say again "Thank you" to all the
Australian Feature Films. Other 2709's people whose efforts and generosity
followed, to be used on Feature Films, contributed to this saga and brought 2709 No.
Documentaries, and Newsreels. Cinesound 991 back to life - for the enlightenment of
Review and Movietone News both owned generations to come.
2709's and these cameras captured the major Images and text courtesy Kev Franzi

10 REEL DEALS June 2021