Rare first edition of this manual on film development.
Illustrated with 54 figures in the text and 6 folding plates at rear, containing 107 interesting samples of films negatives and celluloid.
With a frontispiece photographic portrait of Charles Pathé.
Skilfully restored brown half sheepskin publisher's binding, smooth spine decorated with golden arabesques, small gaps filled at head of spine, marbled endpapers and pastedowns.
"In the early years of the twentieth century, the largest film production company was the Société Pathé Frères (Pathé Brothers Company). Founded in 1897, the company was at its height in 1920s when it unveiled the first home movie projector, the Pathé Baby. [Le Film vierge Pathé] is one of the company's first publications explaining the secrets of processing 'virgin' film. Plates offer incredible images of the mass production of thousands of silent movies, including the first newsreels, sports films, and animation. 107 examples of actual celluloid color film have been mounted in each volume." (Princeton University Library, Julie L. Mellby)