Year 1900 - 11

This picture shows the remains of one of the docks, several freight cars being piled one upon the other, while the most interesting part of the picture shows two schooners literally smashed one into the other, forming a most picturesque mass of wreckage.

This picture, taken from Thorneycroft's Yard, shows the two boats about twelve lenghts apart - a state of things owing to terrible weather in which the race was rowed. It is a very comprehensive view of the contest and a good photograph despite the very trying conditions under which it was produced.

A man exchanges shoe blacking for his friend's soap.

Crowds at the entrance to the London Hippodrome await the departure of Sir George White. He emerges in company with Mr Cook, the manager of the theatre, and is immediately surrounded by the enthusiastic crowd. Men wave their hats in the air. Policemen try to keep the crowd under control. Sir George White was famous as the defender of Ladysmith, and was invalided home.

An old lady is seated at a table with her work basket and her cat washing its paws beside her. The old lady makes several attempts to thread a needle and a look of triumph appears on her face as she finally succeeds.

A performance with sound from comedian Jules Moy.

A film in which limbless Nikolai Kobelkoff demonstrates a series of tasks, from aiming a pistol to performing gymnastics. Kobelkoff was born without arms and legs but persevered, becoming an international star in the early 20th century as a "Human Torso".

This panoramic scene is taken from a Seine steamboat and gives a rapid view of the banks of the river...

The title pretty much tells you all there is to know about this Edison film. It runs a very brief 27-seconds and shows a torpedo hitting its target and going off. I think the most fascinating thing about this is that we get a pretty close shot of the explosion and its aftermath. It was rather funny seeing this large explosion and especially seeing how long it took for everything that flew up in the air to land back down.

A very lifelike picture of the famous New York politician and Tammany Hall boss. This picture was taken on Sunday morning [sic] as he was leaving the 14th Street Wigwam, accompanied by a number of prominent New York politicians.

Cleveland Fire Department rushes to extinguish a fire as a crowd watches.

Pedestrians and cars traffic in Biarritz.

In the distance is seen a number of grey objects rapidly approaching, which, upon drawing closer, are recognized as a company of Boer cavalry. As they draw nearer, you can see that they are straining every nerve and urging their horses to the utmost speed. Waving their sabres aloft on they come, so that the audience involuntarily makes an effort to move from their seats in order to avoid being trampled under the horses.

Footage from the dawn of film taken in Belle Époque-era Paris, France from 1896-1900.

The Phono-Cinéma-Théâtre was a special pavilion at the 1900 Paris World's Fair which featured filmed performances presented with sound via wax cylinder recordings. Many of these short films were also presented in hand-tinted color. The performances ranged from theatre (Coquelin the eldest, Gabrielle Réjane, Sarah Bernhardt, Félicia Mallet), opera & operetta (Mariette Sully, Emile Cossira, Jeanne Hatto, Mily-Meyer, Désiré Pougaud), to café concert & music hall variety (Footit et Chocolat, Mason and Forbes, Little Tich, Brunin, Polin, Jules Moy) and dance (Blanche and Louise Mante from the Paris Opera, Carlotta Zambelli, Michel Vasquez, Rosita Mauri, Jeanne Chasles, Achille Viscusi, Christine Kerf, Cléo de Mérode).

The president of South Africa (Transvaal) visits Paris.

A group of tambours and dancers in traditional outfits pass the camera.