Booth / Cinema as "Accidental Museums"

[Ryan Gallagher]

Or maybe intentional ones...

I'm sure there have been threads previously sharing the odd bits of exhibition history that remain in our theatres/booths. What interesting things ya'll got lying around?

Here is an installment from the Paramount in Austin. These items are actually downstairs in storage and no longer in the booth.

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The Brenkert 80 "Supreme" and rectifier are actually a relatively recent reacquire because it matches units we used to have but didn't keep around. "Museum" is more accurate with that guy cause they bought it intending to re-display eventually after our renovations. This one made the journey from Magna-Tech in Miami to Texas.

You can see vintage in-situ photos of both our 80s and that spotlight (it's partner is in fact in a museum collection) at this film-tech gallery:
http://www.film-tech.com/warehouse/p...ara/apara.html

I am 100% to blame for that spending. I find the art-deco stylings of the "Supreme" model very pleasing and shared a listing to my superior a couple years ago. That "hey look at this" email thread made it up the chain in the organization all the way to the architecture firm of our art-deco house remodel, and with enthusiastic encouragement, they pushed us to acquire it. Only later, due to historical photos here on film-tech John Stewart had previously provided, did I learn we used to have Supremes installed, and most of the RCA era stuff to go with them, much of with is still kicking around, will share some of that later in this thread.

I believe we had Simplexes, Century SAs, then our Century JJs since then. But still using those Brenkert cast iron pedestals to this day. Hah, now we have a spare if we ever destroy one!! (Unlikely, they would be the only thing unharmed if the building was destroyed). I have no clue what models we had installed before the Supremes, more research required.

The De Luxe re-winder is also original booth property, though everyone had forgotten it existed... it was very well hidden in it's hiding spot until recently.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

The art deco Brenkert really belongs in the Smithsonian!! I have only known of one other of those still in existence in Chicago. And that one was no where near as nice as this one.

[Ryan Gallagher]

The art deco Brenkert really belongs in the Smithsonian!! I have only known of one other of those still in existence in Chicago. And that one was no where near as nice as this one.

Most of our things that have transferred to a museum over the years have gone to the University of Texas Harry Ransom Center's Performing Arts collection. But film equipment is not quite in that domain... so will definitely let folks know if it ever leaves our stewardship a top level museum is indeed where it belongs.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Most of our things that have transferred to a museum over the years have gone to the University of Texas Harry Ransom Center's Performing Arts collection. But film equipment is not quite in that domain... so will definitely let folks know if it ever leaves our stewardship a top level museum is indeed where it belongs.

Yes, while there may be one or two more of the Art Deco projectors, that's the best complete example I've seen to date. The Art Deco stuff was actually done by RCA. They bought Brenkert out, although not sure the date that happened.

[Ryan Gallagher]

Yes, while there may be one or two more of the Art Deco projectors, that's the best complete example I've seen to date. The Art Deco stuff was actually done by RCA. They bought Brenkert out, although not sure the date that happened.

Our history knowledge cites '47 as being one year they were in situ. So at least that old for the model. I'll have to ask magna-tech if they know any history on this particular unit. I collected some PDFs of relevant documents at work. I'll have to check there too. RCA era makes total sense, the whole package was from them (booth audio monitors, rack door/covers, etc... just wish we had all the tube amps still, but alas we do not have everything that was removed, perhaps some).

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

What ever you do, don't sell it to them!

[Ryan Gallagher]

What ever you do, don't sell it to them!

to whom? The Smithsonian? Magna-Tech? (Magna-Tech was who we got it from)

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

LOL! And here I thought that was originally from your booth...?

[Ryan Gallagher]

LOL! And here I thought that was originally from your booth...?

Details were in the bottom paragraphs. The model matches booth originals, but the unit is in fact not original to our booth, unless it made a strange journey out to florida and back. (quite possible considering how few of these are around).

Although considering we still have our original pedestals installed, this example no doubt came from somewhere else.

[Josh Jones]

I have a copy of Robert Sprague's 'Brenkert Story' book that we should really scan and put up here for all. MT still has another 'streamline' RCA package machine in their warehouse in ATL. It is impressive in person. I have similar machines, although without the trim pieces.

JJ

[Dave Macaulay]

I'm pretty sure there's at least one in the Highlands Cinema collection.

[Emiel de Jong]

I am 100% to blame for that spending. I find the art-deco stylings of the "Supreme" model very pleasing and shared a listing to my superior a couple years ago. That "hey look at this" email thread made it up the chain in the organization all the way to the architecture firm of our art-deco house remodel, and with enthusiastic encouragement, they pushed us to acquire it.

Very well done! It's very encouraging to read that interest in preserving these beautiful machines is actually possible even when a "superior" and "organisation" is involved...

[Ryan Gallagher]

Here is another installment from back room behind the booth: Including the original RCA in-wall rack covers, one of our port fire shutters we keep around for booth tours, a few RCA voltage amplifiers, and some more odds end ends perhaps period to the Brinks and later/earlier. The better of which I would hope could be integrated into the display of the Supreme eventually. Rack covers and vacuum tube rectifiers seem like a good candidate, unfortunately all 3 covers are missing their RCA badges.

That goldberg rewind visible on the table is a prior defunct one, and I hope to retire our working one to the backroom as soon a possible.

[John Eickhof]

nice pics! looks like an RCA 3 track dubber and remains of a perspecta sound integrator (with the 3 meter slots) lots of neat stuff! Out west, Dick Bartell had a BX80 supreme with Nelson trim kits and Nelson special cone take ups, (he had a pair out of a Los Angeles booth) Some of the early Brenkerts had 'Nelson' sugnatured magazines, with the trim and 'Nelson' in chrome lettering....quite rare nowadays.

[Ryan Gallagher]

nice pics! looks like an RCA 3 track dubber and remains of a perspecta sound integrator (with the 3 meter slots) lots of neat stuff! Out west, Dick Bartell had a BX80 supreme with Nelson trim kits and Nelson special cone take ups, (he had a pair out of a Los Angeles booth) Some of the early Brenkerts had 'Nelson' sugnatured magazines, with the trim and 'Nelson' in chrome lettering....quite rare nowadays.

Thanks. They are due a bit of a cleaning, I re-organized to see what we had back there, now that they are accessible I can wipe em down.

For the ground level folks, there is an interesting analog ticket tracking tool visible in the same photo as the RCA rack covers. Wooden boxes with labeled slots for seeing what seats have been sold or not. ;-)