Eastman Kodak introduce technology for adding notes and ‘metadata’ at time of exposure.
Henry Jacques Gaisman
Henry Jacques Gaisman already had several patents to his name, notably a safety razor, when he approached George Eastman with his idea of a device for enabling a photographer to record notes on film at the time of exposure. It was an idea that Eastman had asked his staff to explore, but they had come up with no practical solution. Having already attempted to file a patent for his idea, Gaisman had been refused as the examiner concluded there could be no way for it to practically work.
Disagreeing with the examiner’s conclusion and clearly enthused by Gaisman’s proposal that this invention could be adapted and used in Kodak cameras, George Eastman wrote to his scientific expert in Europe (Feb 16th 1913) Joseph Clarke “this invention has commercial advantages of a high order”.
How autographic film worked
Writing to his business partner Henry Alva Strong a year later (19th Feb 1914), the idea was sufficiently developed at Kodak that Eastman is referring to ‘autographic cameras’ where a carbon tissue between the backing paper and the film removed light protection wherever a stylus pressed. This tissue was accessed via a covered slit on the film back of an autographic Kodak. When a negative was developed, name, date and any other information was preserved on the negative.
Eastman made Gaisman a potentially lucrative royalty based offer for his patent, which according to Ackerman would have netted him over 1 million dollars. Instead he took a one-off cash payment of $300,000, a record payment for a patent up to that time. Not bad!
The first Autographic Kodak camera were released in July 1914, the No.3A Autographic Kodak. This were followed by the No.3 and No.1A cameras in September, and the No.1 and No.1A Autographic Kodak Junior cameras in December.
Collectors Opportunity
The Autographic Kodaks offer the dedicated collector a whole new way of curating and adding to their collection of cameras. These cameras alone could amount to a sizeable collection, if all variations are taken into account. For example, the autographic back went through three major versions in its lifetime. Within those versions are several minor changes. There are also different sizes of autographic backs and styluses for different film sizes. Autographic film was produced for eight different negative sizes from A127 (1½×2½ inches) to A126 (4½×6½ inches). The good news is that a lot of Autographic Kodaks can be bought for very little money.
To illustrate the Autographic Kodaks I have used the No.1 Autographic Kodak Junior and the Autographic Vest Pocket Kodak as examples. These two models were the best selling Autographic Kodaks.
The No.1 Autographic Kodak Junior
The predecessor of the No.1 Autographic Junior camera had only been introduced in April of 1914, so they weren’t produced in great numbers (at least not great numbers for Kodak!). Coe quotes production numbers of 33,000 for the No.1 Kodak Junior before the back was changed to the autographic type on what remained essentially the same camera to become the No.1 Autographic Kodak Junior. However, those numbers may not be entirely accurate, as I have a No.1 Kodak Junior with serial number 41476 engraved on the lens board foot (although the back could have been swapped at some point).
My three copies of the No.1 Autographic Kodak Junior demonstrate that the autographic innovation of this camera only changed the J-shaped removable back. All three of my copies used existing stock of the No.1 Kodak Junior and had autographic backs added. All three nameplates and internal stamps say ‘No.1 Kodak Junior’ .
The Autographic Vest Pocket Kodak
In 1915 the camera of choice would have been the newly released version of the VPK with the revolutionary new feature that seemed impeccably suited to the times. Popular with the military, this light and portable device seemed the ideal way to record once in a lifetime experiences.
A solution looking for a problem?
The Autographic range of cameras was produced by Kodak until the mid-1930s, and was ended because of the realisation that the feature was never widely adopted. For the most part, Kodak cameras were marketed to the mass consumer market, particularly amateur photographers. The autographic feature added an extra step to the picture-taking process, which may have been seen as unnecessary or cumbersome. Writing on each photograph would also slow down the shooting process, which could be frustrating for users who wanted to capture moments quickly.
While the idea of adding notes to photos sounded appealing, many users likely found it easier to keep a written record separately, perhaps writing on the back of prints or adding a caption in a photo album. The feature may have been more useful for professionals or enthusiasts than the average consumer.
The notes were made by pressing a stylus onto a thin carbon paper layer on the back of the film. These could be difficult to read, especially after developing, making the feature less effective than intended. There’s also the factor of print aesthetics; some writing tagged onto the side of a print may have been seen as less attractive than a ‘clean’ print.
Ultimately, while the autographic feature was innovative, it didn’t align with how most Kodak owners preferred to take photos—quickly and effortlessly capturing people, places, and events. Much like today’s mobile phone photography, users favoured the joy of spontaneity.
The legacy of the Autographic Kodaks is a wonderful array of cameras to seek out and collect.
Bibliography
Ackerman, Carl W. (1929). George Eastman. Houghton Mifflin Co.
Brayer, Elizabeth. (1996). George Eastman A Biography. Johns Hopkins.
Brown, George E, (editor). The British Journal Photographic Almanac 1916. Henry Greenwood and Co. Ltd.
Coe, Brian.(1988). Kodak Cameras. The First Hundred Years. Hove Foto Books.
Collins, Douglas. (1990). The Story of Kodak. Abrams.
Kay, Jay H. (2006). Vest Pocket Kodak Camera 1912-1935. A Guide.
McKeown, Jim & Joan. (1981). Collectors Guide to Kodak Cameras. Centennial Photo Service.
