Debrie 'Le Parvo' 35mm Cine Camera

Debrie Parvo cine camera modified for two colour process. Series 9, No 43. By J Debrie, Paris. For 35mm film in internal magazine. Krauss Zeiss Tessar lens, f/3.5 F:50mm, Serial No 84933. For Kinemacolor or similar process; red/orange and green filter wheel behind lens. Hand turned; optical frame finder; through-film focusing; footage and fps counters, 1908

The Debrie Parvo was first made in France in 1908. This was one of the most popular early professional film cameras. Made by the French firm of J Debrie, which became Etablissements Andre Debrie, the Parvo camera has side-by-side film magazines, making it relatively compact. This model has a wooden body but from 1921 onwards the Parvo was produced with a metal body. Joseph Debrie died in 1919. He patented the Parvo on 19 September 1908, patent no 403250. In 1921 the Parvo [with automatic dissolving shutter which this does not have) cost £185. The magazines cost £2/6/0 each and the sunshade £2/7/6.

This particular camera has been modified and a red/orange and a green filter wheel placed behind the lens for a two-colour process, such as Kinemacolor. Kinemacolor was one of the first commercially successful colour movie film processes.