my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Projector Museum San Francisco, CA

Author Topic: Projector Museum San Francisco, CA Will Kutler Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1506 From: Tucson, AZ, USA Registered: Feb 2001 posted 06-08-2009 06:09 PM                     Does anyone know who owned and operated the projector museum on Nob Hill in San Francisco, CA in the early 1990's? Is it still there? It was located around the corner from Ghirardelli Square/Choclate Factory/Store.  |  IP: Logged Dick Prather Master Film Handler Posts: 259 From: Portland, OR, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 06-08-2009 07:21 PM                     That was Dick Bartel and I don't think it's there anymore. All in storage. Dick  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 06-08-2009 07:31 PM                     I also heard that there was one in the Southern Portland/Salem area as well. But as before, it was moons ago when I last heard of it. But also heard that it was a good sized one - from silents to 70mm units on display with every artifact that was related to projection and stage. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 06-08-2009 09:49 PM                        I would agree with Dick; I purchased his Bartel's) JJ-2's about 8 years ago. Louis  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-09-2009 01:03 PM                     He also had i believe on of the few operating Mechau projectors  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 06-09-2009 05:47 PM                     Dick Bartel had many projectors from his collection on display at the Museum Of San Francisco in Ghirardelli Square as part of the 100th Anniversary of the introduction of Motion Pictures in San Francisco. It was a temporary museum installation and was removed after a year or so and everything went back to Bartel's warehouse and I've heard that some have since been sold. SOMEWHERE I have a wholebuncha pictures I took while the machines were on display, but I have no idea where the negatives are at the moment or I'd scan a few and post them here. Dick still has several machines on display at various locations, such at San Francisco's Castro Theater which has one of his old hand-cranked machines in the lobby.  |  IP: Logged Sean Weitzel Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 619 From: Vacaville, CA (1790 miles west of Rockwall) Registered: Dec 1999 posted 06-11-2009 04:02 PM                     Funny this subject should come up. Two weeks ago I met with Dick and a friend of his at Dick's warehouse in San Mateo. I can confirm that he does indeed have an operating condition Mechau projector stored away. He told me all about it while I was there. In terms of the collection, Dick has apparently donated/sold nearly all of his projector/camera collection to an archive of sorts in Los Angeles. The equipment was supposedly packed up and shipped this past week. I didn't get the name of the firm, though I can ask. Dick is maintaining a small supply of equipment used in his rental business. Lamphouses, power supplies, parts, etc.  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 06-11-2009 05:46 PM                       Sean, Did you see the projector in action at his home shop in San Bruno? I did and it was amazing. I gave him a Lumex lamphouse to use with it.  |  IP: Logged Sean Weitzel Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 619 From: Vacaville, CA (1790 miles west of Rockwall) Registered: Dec 1999 posted 06-11-2009 07:44 PM                     No, he did not demonstrate it for me but the design of the inner workings sound incredible.  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 06-11-2009 09:33 PM                       It works amazingly well as the optics track the film coming into the gate and leaving as well. Very little travel ghost. He uses the garage door of the across the street neighbor as his screen. Cars coming by block the beam. Bartel ran these projectors in occupied Germany after WW 2, one night for Allies, one night for Axis POW's.  |  IP: Logged Robert Throop Master Film Handler Posts: 412 From: Vernon, NY USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-14-2009 02:50 PM                     If I'm not mistaken a Mechau was installed in the Capitol in NYC for testing in the 1920's. Supposedly there was an article in American Projectionist though I've not seen it. Bob  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.