Hanimex ‘Mini’ folding slide projector

Hanimex ‘Mini’ folding slide projector
made in Sydney, Australia c.1950s

This neat little projector folds out to show slides in both 16mm and 35mm slide formats. It has a P-Rokkor 2.5/40mm lens and uses a 75watt lamp; I have it on good authority that replacement lamps are still available. The projector works a treat – it’s been checked over by an electrician – and has an ‘automatic’ slide feed to allow you to load two slides at a time [!!] It comes in its original box, which sadly has been mended with masking tape.

Perfect for your next slide night or to add to your burgeoning Hanimex collection. I am reluctantly parting this projector- it’s a beautiful as well as a functional object.

For sale: $AUD145

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Crazy coloured photo

Glass ashtray
made in Australia 1950s

I LOVE vintage retouched photographs! They are always OTT and totally kitschy. This one is in the form of a glass astray and was made as a souvenir piece in the 50s.

I’ve collected a few of these – and even though they were originally ashtrays- the nostalgic photos of 50s Australian icons makes them so much more. And nowadays of course glass ashtrays can be used as pin dishes – with the added delight of a crazy coloured photo.

Marine Parade, Coolangatta- ashtray is for sale: $AU10
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Kodak Brownie movie camera

Kodak Brownie Movie Camera, Model 2
made in USA, 1956-1958

I have a great fondness for all things camera…my father was a photographer and now my son is involved in photography…he took all the images on this blog. I seem to have collected a lot of camera-related things.

This ‘wind-up’ movie camera comes in its original [vinyl] bag with original instruction booklet. It takes 8mm film, which is still available on eBay. And as the instruction booklet says: “It’s everybody’s movie camera…it’s as easy as this: 1 -you wind the motor, 2- you set the lens, 3- you press the exposure level.”

These movie cameras were made to be simple and affordable for a mass market. It has a 13mm Ektanon lens, f/2.3-f/16 and despite having an aluminium body, weighs just 0.75kg. YouTube has a whole section devoted to movies made on vintage cameras.    For sale: $AUD155

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Dog on the Tuckerbox, #50sstyle

Royal Stafford cup and saucer, made in England 1950s
Glass ashtray, made in Australia 1950s

More of my ‘Dog on the Tuckerbox’ collection – a transfer printed cup and saucer and a glass ashtray with 50s photo of said dog on the base.

The cup and saucer are bone china, with gilt edging to both cup and saucer, and marked 3395 to base. Meanwhile, the glass ashtray- a souvenir item, made in Australia, has a rather crudely hand-coloured 50s photograph in the moulded glass. But if nothing else, that photograph shows how accurate the transfer prints on the cup and saucer are- and they were made in England.

Both are kitschy, one more refined kitsch than the other!

Start your Dog on the Tuckerbox collection today: the cup and saucer is for sale: $AU25 as is the ashtray: $AU10 [or $AU30 for both.]

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Kodak Brownies

Kodak Brownie cameras
127 Model 1 camera, 1952-1959
127 Model 2 camera, 1959-1963
Baby Brownie, 1948-1952 : all made in London, England.

From left to right in this image are the Model 1, Model 2 and Baby Brownie cameras. They are all made of bakelite, and all take 127 film. This film is no longer available but instructions exist [YouTube] that explain how to cut down 35mm film to suit- and of course 35mm film is still able to be processed today.

Model 1 has lost its winding mechanism, but comes in its original carry case. It has a Meniscus f/14 lens. Model 2 has a larger, Dakon f/11 lens. The Baby Brownie has a Meniscus lens and a flip up viewfinder. It has a button under the lens for brief time exposure, and it too has its own original carry case.

The three cameras are for sale: $AUD125

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Retro Italian souvenir images

retro Italian souvenir images,
made in Italy 1960s

This collection was inspired after I visited Italy. It comprises a c.1960s Venice guidebook, 60s postcards in book form from Venice, Roma and Florence and 60s souvenir film slides from Rome and the Vatican.

The souvenir guide book is in excellent condition and is quite funny to read with its mangled English. The souvenir postcard books have never been used and are still complete – the old retro photographs are very stage-managed and have been colour-touched in that delightful 60s era style.

The souvenir slides have never been opened, and I expect they will have that lovely rosy patina of all old slides. They could be viewed using one of the Haminex slider viewers, posted below!

The Italian souvenir images are for sale: $65

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Slide viewers

Marquis slide viewer, made in Sydney, Australia c.1950
Viscount slide viewer, made in England c.1960

How fantastic is this baby pink Marquis slide viewer? The pink section is plastic, whilst the black section is bakelite. This slide viewer comes in its original box and is in near mint condition.

The Viscount viewer is nearly a decade older, and it evidences the transition from the modernist forms of the 50s to the more funky shapes of the 60s. It too comes in its original box.

Both viewers are working well – and replacement bulbs for them are still available. Which means there is no excuse for having photographic slides around that are not being used. You can go automatic with a large format projection [see slide projector/s below]…or view your slides individually and more intimately with these hand held viewers.

I do have a few slide viewers in my collection…I love the way they work – large glass viewing lens, small bulb and battery. And they look great massed together as a group – they are both functional AND aesthetic.

The slide viewers are for sale: $AUD55 each.

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Vintage camera

Ferrania Eura camera
made in Milan, Italy 1959

Ferrania was founded in Italy in 1923 – and still produces ‘point and shoot’ cameras today. The ‘Eura’ camera was made in 1959, and comes in its original vinyl case [made by Maves, also of Milan.] It uses medium format film- 120mm – which is still available; and comes with its original instruction booklet [in Italian and English]; and two helpful booklets produced by Ferrania : ‘Photography by artificial light- hints for amateurs’ and ‘It’s easy to take good photographs’ by Alfredo Ornano.

I’m not sure if the camera still works as it hasn’t been tested, but the original bag and 50s instruction booklets were too fabulous to pass up. There are some great YouTube clips evidencing the great photos that can be taken with the Eura – I think Alfredo Ornano would be well chuffed!

The Ferrania Eura camera is for sale: $AUD85

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60s kitschiness [is my kinda kitschiness]

Melbourne tray, made in Hong Kong, 1960s
Hornsea sugar bowl, made in England, 1960s
Diana ramekins, made in Australia, 1960s.

An ode to 60s kitschiness – a bar tray featuring the beautiful city of Melbourne in the 60s- terrible image, much touched-up and with an explanatory label; a green ‘Heirloom’ sugar bowl, stoneware designed and produced by John Clappison in 1966 for Hornsea; and a pair of Diana ramekins, made in Marrickville, Sydney in the late 60s.

A range of 60s aesthetics: the tacky, the patterned and the late-modernist. All now very desirable and collectable. People collect bar-themed paraphenalia [‘barphenalia’] – Hornsea is oh-so collectable now, and Diana pottery [and ramekins especially] is becoming very desirable.

All these items are in good vintage condition, and are for sale: Melbourne bar tray: $AU20, Hornsea Heirloom sugar bowl: $AU25, and the Diana ramekins: $AU20.

Slidex slide library

Hanimex ‘Slidex’ slide library
made in Australia 1950s

I love and collect Hanimex – slide projectors, slide viewers and now- a slide library. Each of the three drawers has flip out slide-holders [yellow, red, green] and each can hold 120 x 35mm slides. The slide library is pristine – never been used. Opposite the drawers is an index – to note the title of each of the twelve slide holders in each drawer- and the drawers themselves have a space for a label integral with the drawer pull. All you need is a typewriter: the index is removable and so can be inserted into a typewriter to be completed; and the drawer labels could similarly be typed. Tres tres cool!

Hanimex is an Australian company that commenced importing cameras and lenses in 1947. Jack Hannes started the company and the name Hanimex is an abbreviation of his company name: Hannes Import Export. By the mid 50s Hanimex was making and selling smaller photographic equipment –like this slide library- in Australia. Cameras that were still imported were rebadged Hanimex Topcon, the second name indicating the original manufacturer.

The precision engineering that has gone into making this compact, portable slide library is fantastic.

The slide library is for sale: team it with one of more of the other fantastic Hanimex products on this site! $AUD75

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