It appears that there were reliability problems with the Mutoscope's mechanism, and
although Casler's patent was approved in November 1895 , a working machine was not
publicly demonstrated for over a year. From the early days onward, it seems that the
Mutoscope was never seen as the 'bread and butter' of the business, and that the
development of the Biograph was treated with somewhat greater urgenc y.
When the Mutoscope finally made its commercial debut, the first machines were
of wooden construction, and were either mounted on simple stands or operated as
counter-top machines. Readers will be familiar with the beautifully elaborate cast iron
'Clamshell' machines, which are often dated 1895. This date is incorrect, and no doubt
arises from the year of Casler's otiginal patent, rather than the first year of manufacture .
As the patent design for the Clamshell machines was not filed until 1899, it seems
unlikely that these cast iron machines were produced before that yea r.
l'
jJ
Clam Shell, 1899
Page 8
Indian Head, 1906