JENNINGS BROTHERS METAL FOUNDERY

            The Jennings Brothers Metal Foundery was opened by the 3 Jennings Brothers in 1890 in Bridgeport, CT.  Their offices started in 2 small wood buildings and their foundery in a brick building.  Ultimately, they expanded to a larger factory biulding which was located on Elm Street in Bridgeport.  

They specialized in metal art and maintained a staff of artists and sculptors to craft their metal art objects ("Nouveau" metal art) which included clocks, bookends, statues, metal cases, candelabras and some silver-plated utensils.  Their original items were signed with the initials "JB" on each pieces.  Many JB objects are sold at auctions:  http://www.chs.org/bookends .  Older residents of Brideport can probably find at least one JB object in their house. 

In the early 1950's the Jennings Brothers Manufacturing Company went out of business and the art object casts were purchased by another company in Philadelphia, PA.  They used the original JR casts to manufacture replicas which are cheaper versions of the original JR items sold at art auctions. 

One of the items which the Jennings Brothers produced was a small-scale version of a famous sculpture by Cyrus Dallin of "Massasoit".  This item was owned by the Medicine Man Gallery:  http://www.medicinemangallery.com/collection/deceased,-other/c/Dallin-1861%252D1944,-Cyrus-E/1/Jennings-Brothers--Reproduction-of-Cyrus-Dallins-(1861%252D1944)-Massasoit .  The following is a JB clock design from the era 1900-1910:

[NOTE:  This is simply one of the blog posts.  If you have questions about the value

of any Jennings Brothers items, you have to ask an appraiser.  I am not an appraiser.]

Hurricane Sandy October 29-30, 2012

What a miserable week in the aftermath of the hurricane.  The last hurricane that did the most damage to the Connecticut coast was the Hurricane of 1938 or the "Yankee Clipper".  There are a number of books published about the storm of 1938 and a photo archive in the Connecticut State Library.

 I had plenty of candles for the days without electricity, plenty of water and food, and expended my cell telephone time on daily calls to the electric company and local Emergency Operations Center.  During these days without electricity, my cell telephone was often not functioning.  At many times, my calls "failed".  I even tried the main, non-emergency information numbers to the police department a few times and these calls failed, also.  Curiously, if I had a real emergency at home, and actually needed to dial 911, I am not sure the telephone call would have gotten to the department. 

Recently purchased a new Canon T3 Rebel camera and went out on Wednesday, October 31, 2012
(36-48 hours post Hurricane Sandy) to see if I could get some photos of the hurricane damage.  There was NO access to most of the coastal areas and the Connecticut National Guard was on duty in Bridgeport along the damaged coastal areas.  I had not seen the National Guard in the open with their weapons by their side since 9/11.  Needless to say, the presence of the National Guard was reassuring.

However, I did manage to get near the coast by driving to the old industrial access road to Pleasure Beach which is on the border of Bridgeport and Stratford.   There was not much obvious damage along the industrial road which dead-ends at the Pleasure Beach access bridge.  The following is what the old island access bridge used to look like: 

This bridge was seriously unsafe and was demolished years ago. 


On Wednesday, the storm water was high but the industrial roads were not flooded.  Here is my photo from the waterfront access area: 

The only beach/land area not covered by water was the farthest tip of Pleasure Beach Island as shown in the above photo.  There is usually a large section of empty land area between the photo spot and the distant island as shown in this old aerial photo provided for comparative purposes:

 An environmental boondoggle of development and remediation is the issue of flooding during storms and the deleterious effect of the floodwaters on the habitat..  This island area is important bird habitat and has been significantly affected by the high storm waters.  The storm surge and flooding washed away the history of the old-time amusement park at Pleasure Beach which once filled the foreground of the island.

Marina Village Historic District

Last weekend I was browsing a real estate listing for Seaside Village.  Always thought the small houses with their country, suburban architectural style were unique.  Spent every sunny, summer day at the nearby Seaside Park beach as a child and traveled past the Village on each of these days. 

I decided to revisit some of the history of the Village which is now under the control of the Bridgeport Housing Authority.  The Village is listed as a co-op with 14 or 15 units.  It was obvious that the village-style townhouses were late 1800's or early 1900's.  Due to the village proximity to Long Island Sound and Seaside Park, my assumption was that the village may have been built for weekenders from the New York City area.  The Marina Village Historic District is described in the following article, yet does not include the discrete village section which I refer to in this blog post:

http://www.livingplaces.com/CT/Fairfield_County/Bridgeport_City/Marina_Park_Historic_District.html

Judging by the few photos of the interiors in the real estate listings, most of the historic cottage-style  design has been long gone decimated by the "urbanization" and the deterioration of the area.  One of the annexes of Sikorsky Aircraft is just down the street.  There is another housing project nearby which is also called Marina Village.  Interstate 95 is 3-4 blocks to the north.  Picturesque Long Island Sound and Seaside Park are 2-3 blocks to the south.  I enjoy renovating old urban buildings and restoring them to their original style (building interiors included).  The Marina Village interiors would be a challenge to restore. 

The exteriors of the Village display a charming old and sometimes customized brick.  Tiled roofs were a quaint feature.  Photos of the exterior are rare due to the neighborhood's contemporary scene of drugs, violence, and gangs.  This particular exterior photo is encapsulated and does not reveal the true styling of the village:

Here is a view from Google Maps:  http://maps.google.com/?ll=41.165668,-73.199072&spn=0.002031,0.002006&t=h&z=18



Iranistan Avenue is just to the right.  I could not get a "streetside" of the Marina Village Historic District.

A Contemporary Bridgeporter, now at Poplar Forest, Virginia

As noted in my previous blog post from September 1, 2012, I have been following the paleobotanical research at Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest for a few years.  This month, I received the quarterly newletter. Notes on the State of Poplar Forest.  Flipping through the newsletter, I noticed the biographical sketch of Poplar Forest's new President, Jeffrey L. Nichols.  I never met Jeffrey Nichols, however, I am aware that he is the recent, former director of the Mark Twain House and Museum, Hartford, CT.  Mr. Nichols, of all places, was born in Bridgeport, CT.  I was surprised when the announcement was dispensed that Mr. Nichols was leaving the Mark Twain Museum director's job and was hired at Poplar Forest.   Many months ago, I had sent an email to Mr. Nichols at the Mark Twain House with an historical inquiry.  He never responded to my email.  Oh well!

Well, since I plan to visit the Poplar Forest sometime and see the botanical archeology research, I will have to see if I can meet with Mr. Nichols.  Good Luck till then Nichols.

Bridgeport Scientific Society

Charles Ketchum Averill published a book about the Bridgeport area's bird species in 1892 for the Bridgeport Scientific Society:

http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/subject/Bridgeport

The Bridgeport Scientific Society was founded 1890. In 1899 the society was renamed the Bridgeport Scientific and Historical Society. Averill served as a "President of the Society". 

Averill was an engineer graduate of Yale University, New Haven, CT and his address is listed in Yale's Sheffield Engineering School Publication as living on High Street in Bridgeport, CT.


Clinton Hart Merriam had previously written a book about the birds of Connecticut which was published in 1877:

http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/32715

Bicycle Manufacturing Industry in Connecticut - Bridgeport's Role

One of my first substitute teaching assignments of the new school year (September 2012) was a middle school art class.  During the prep time and lunch period, I was browsing through some of the Connecticut art book material on the teacher's desk.  The book was entitled:  Illustrating Connecticut, People, Places, and Things.  I found a Connecticut historical page regarding the Curtis Veeder Manufacturing Company of Hartford, CT.  In the 1890's Veeder's company manufactured the first "Cyclometer" or bicycle meter which counted the distance the bicycle traveled.  The Veeder Company has its own fantastic history in Hartford, CT including the Veeder House which was later bequeathed to the Connecticut Historical Society. 

The original patents for early 1890's bicycles manufactured in Connecticut were originally from France and French bicycle designers.  In Hartford, CT there was the Hartford Cycle Company and the Pope Manufacturing Company which manufactured Columbia Bicycles.  Pope Company also designed one of the first American bicycle models for women.  Eventually, they build motorcycles, also. 

My suspicion was confirmed that Bridgeport, although seemingly not directly involved in bicycle manufacturing, had a role in some aspect of the 1890's bicycle industry.  The Bridgeport Brass Company manufactured brass for all sorts of products.  During this time Bridgeport Brass was one of the leading manufacturers of the 1890's bicycle lamps (Bridgeport Brass Bicycle Lamps).  Although, I have not yet been able to trace the supply of brass from Bridgeport for other bicycle parts, my theory is that there is more historical information to be dug-up regarding this topic. 

A few days before I stumbled onto the information about Hartford's Curtis Veeder Company in the art class, I had been researching information about John Jacob Astor, the famous New York City industrialist who built the Astoria Hotel in New York City.   Notably, Colonel Astor who fought in the Spanish-American war, was a theatre actor, writer, and inventor.  One of his books, A Journey to Other Worlds was reviewed in the New York Times, 1894

In 1898 he patented an efficient bicycle brake.  I have not yet been able to obtain patent illustrations of his bicycle brake design, however, I am still researching this in the US Patent Office database.  There were a few different types of bicycle brakes and the specific type of bicycle brake invention remains to be clarified.  Perhaps, brass was used in the manufacture of this bicycle brake but this remains to be determined.  Sadly, John Jacob Astor died on the Titanic in 1912. 

Cycling was very popular during this time in Europe, as well as the United States.  The foundation was established in France for the sport of cycling, both road racing and track races. 

The photo above is the Paris Velodrome used in the 1900 Olympics.

There were also bicycle races that were held in the United States:  The Sporting Life newspaper published in Philadelphia, PA featured a section which covered the emerging hobby and sport of cycling and the first column in each article refers to John Jacob Astor's bicycle brake invention:

http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/SportingLife/1893/VOL_21_NO_02/SL2102005.pdf

http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibraryortingLife/1893/VOL_21_NO_01/SL2101011.pdf

The history of cycling and bicycle design and manufacture is a massive topic.  Yet, Bridgeport, CT did have a role in early bicycle history with the manufacture of brass bicycle lamps. 

A Mr. Frederick Egge(?) of Bridgeport, CT also filed for a patent for a bicycle lock in 1892:

http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/SportingLife/1892/VOL_19_NO_24/SL1924008.pdf

(left column, scroll down through patent list)

Captain David Hawley, American Revolution 1776

Here is a blog article written by William Bailey of the Founder's Blog on Wordpress regarding the Navy Captain and privateer David Hawley.  Hawley was born in the Old Stratfield section of Bridgeport, CT.  Rather than summarize what Bailey wrote about Hawley you can read the accurate history directly in the following link:


http://williamdbailey.wordpress.com/2012/09/11/continental-navy-captain-david-hawley/


The street Hawley Avenue in Bridgeport is named after the Bridgeport Hawley family.

There was plenty of Naval activity along the Connecticut coast during the American Revolution in the 1770's.  Both the Americans and British had bases in the area.  The Pequonnock River in Bridgeport, CT and the harbor were busy during that time period and were a hub of coastal and inland waterway protection.

A 1766 British map of Connecticut: 

 

Link to map reference information

For additional interest in local Bridgeport privateering during the American Revolution read about
Smedley and Sturges based in Black Rock Harbor.

P. T. Barnum's Chestnut Tree

While reviewing some of the State of Connecticut's agricultural history, I found a detailed summary of chestnut tree history written by a researcher, Dr. Sandra L. Anagnostakis, of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven, CT.  As a Connecticut tree grower, I found the detailed Chestnut tree information extremely important as a reference:

CT Agricultural Experiment Station-Dr. Anagnostakis Chestnut tree webpage

The American Chestnut tree population was devastated by a blight and root disease many years ago.  Diligent scientists and tree growers have been working to replant and rebuild the chestnut tree population.  Historically, Thomas Jefferson was probably the first American to devote attention to the science of Chestnut trees with the importation of seeds and saplings to his home at Monticello.  Jefferson was an experienced and astute botanist and was able to cultivate hybrids of the American Chestnut tree with imported European Chestnut tree varieties.  Jeffereson also had a plant nursery at his other retreat, Poplar Forest.  My interest in Poplar Forest relates to his landscaping, plant nursery, as well as, plant and grass species that he used at Poplar Forest.  There is an ongoing paleobotany research project at Poplar Forest.  Archeologists are excavating various areas of the gardens and plant nursery at Poplar Forest.

Notably, P. T. Barnum, Bridgeport's most famous resident, had an exotic Chestnut tree planted in the yard at his home.  Connecticut tree growers in the 19th Century acquired imported Chestnut tree seeds for large-scale growing and marketing.  However, it is possible that Barnum acquired his chestnut tree from his international travels as the Ringmaster of Barnum and Baily's Circus.  Open the following link and scroll down until you can view the Chestnut tree genus and species for Barnum's Chestnut tree which is a Japanese variety cultivated by the Connecticut grower Parsons:  P. T. Barnum's Chestnut tree

Unfortunately, I do not have a photo of the tree.  However, there is a brief article in the Hartford Courant from September 3, 2007 about P. T. Barnum's Chestnut tree in Bridgeport.  A twelve year old boy spotted the tree and noted the importance of the old Parson's Chestnut tree in the yard of one of P. T. Barnum's former homes.

One item of interest to tree fans is that Connecticut College has a renown arboretum.  In 1985, the arboretum began the Notable Trees Project.  They have a group which travels around documenting and photographing trees of scientific and historic importance within the State of Connecticut.  Perhaps P. T. Barnum's Chestnut tree should be included in the Notable Trees Project.

Remington Arms Munitions Factor

Connecticut has a history of gun manufacturing.  This may be related to the brass industry in the State and maybe not.  I, personally, had never owned a gun until I was living in Albuquerque, NM, (United States) on a full-time basis a few years ago.  In modern New Mexico, which was the land of Billy the Kidd and numerous other 19th Century gunslingers, just about 50% of the population seemed to own guns.  I recall that there are no specific restrictions in New Mexico or requirements for carrying a gun around town.  On New Years Eve at midnight, the "tradition" of firing guns in the air was fashionable. Years later in Connecticut, somehow some of the "citizens" picked-up this New Years Eve habit.

Some States including Connecticut require a permit "for carrying".  I started on this blog subject due to the high volume of illegal firearms in Bridgeport, CT and the related street gun violence in Bridgeport the last few years.  A city, once proud of its Remington munitions factory which supplied ammunition to Allied troops during the war, has become consumed by illegal gun violence.

Living in New Mexico full-time was a treat for me since I love the outdoors.  Many of the people that I spent time with on the weekend had and carried guns.  Weekends were spent with the Brittany Club training our dogs on the mesa for field trialing and hunting.  A life of horses and dogs suits me.  I spent so much time out in the desert and mountains that I went and legally purchased my first firearm, a Remington 870 Pump Wingmaster shotgun.  Used the gun primarily for Trap Shooting at the Range not really for hunting birds.  I use a starter's pistol which fired blanks for field dog training.  The shotgun was a little fancy with nice engravings on the stock so I always kept it shined and polished.  The connection between my Remington shotgun in New Mexico and my place of birth, Bridgeport, CT did not click at the time. I had forgotten that  Bridgeport, CT was the home until 1986 of the Remington Munitions Factory.  Since 1986 the empty factory building has been decimated by vandals and arson.  The television series Ghost Hunters or Paranormal Investigation filmed an episode in the old factory building a few years ago:

Weeks after purchasing my first shotgun, I went and legally purchased a Browning
9 mm Practical.  Learned how to load the magazines with efficiency and became a fairly good marksman with practice at the Range.  The mesa was so deserted at that time, that I could prop a soda or beer 6-pack cardboard box on the top of a cactus and take target practice.  Always set the cardboard target at the base of a hill so the bullets would not stray.  I was not trying to emulate Annie Oakley, however, I became proficient at shooting the pistol right- and left-handed   I was not in a quandry about legally owning guns and keeping them at home safe with trigger locks.   The trigger lock keys were always tucked in a safe location.

When I returned home to Connecticut, I brought the guns with me, unloaded and packed in their cases with the trigger locks. I had called some of the local Connecticut gun shops to determine the legal and best way to  transport the firearms back home.  Back in Connecticut, I kept the guns locked at home and where no one else could access the trigger lock keys.  I was aware that a permit was required in Connecticut to carry firearms, so I kept the guns at home and owned them for a number of years without any problems.   After 9/11 in 2001, I had a difficult time finding ammunition for the firearms even for personal protection at home.

Ultimately, as a result of some illegitimate complaints, I had a telephone call from a Bridgeport police detective who asked me to come in and talk to him.  I had no idea what the reason for the call was at the time.  A week before, a teenager from a house next door was arrested for shooting another young adult in the leg in some other neighborhood.   I thought that this may be related to the detective's telephone call and request.  So the next day I went to the station and met with the detective.  The teenager's arrest next door turned-out not to be the reason for the telephone call.  There were some other issues including with 1 or 2 neighbors about me a woman having personal firearms with trigger locks at home.  One neighbor has friends and family on the police department and  .... has had more than one criminal in and out of her house for the last few years.  I do not speak to this neighbor who has demonstrated a few years of overt cocaine-use combined with marijuana odors wafting from the neighbor's house in the summer months among other things.   I do not use drugs or smoke marijuana and do not allow the stuff around me.   Another neighbor, openly brags about his gun permit and his guns including an automatic rifle of some sort.  Yet, this neighbor has been openly drunk many days of the week and goes out and drives after drinking sometimes carrying his handgun.

In any event, this is not the same neighborhood that I grew-up in years ago.   I often wondered why I even bothered to return to Connecticut with this neighborhood that has evolved into a commune style, war lord hang-out.  Briefly, the detective asked me for my pistol.  I explained that the pistol was legally purchased and that I did not carry the firearm, but kept the gun at home with a trigger lock?  The detective had no warrant to take the pistol.  He said when I questioned him that it was "TEMPORARY" .  Two years have elapsed and the pistol has not been returned to me.  My understanding is that the pistol should have been legally returned to me after 1 year. 
I was never contacted about my pistol and the prospect of having this $1000 piece of property returned to me.   I had owned this pistol for a number of years without any problems.

Hence, Bridgeport has innumerable illegal guns on the streets and almost weekly gun violence.  Yet my legal, personal home-defense weapon which I had for many years disappeared.  I have yet to hire a legal specialist to determine the whereabouts of my pistol since I do not want to get shot by my own missing pistol by an armed robber.

Yesterday, there was a report on a local television news station that there were 60 break-in attempts in the month of August in the area.  Probably, a majority percentage of those break-ins would be by armed robbers which has been the pattern in the neighborhood and adjacent neighborhoods.

Needless to say, there is serious irony when a legal and trigger-locked weapon is confiscated and termed "TEMPORARY",  while there are a large volume of illegal guns all over the City of Bridgeport.

The miserable fate of the Remington Arms munitions factory on the other-side-of-town is symbolic of the drastic alteration in the Bridgeport lifestyle from industrial boom town to slobville status of illegal guns, shootings, drugs, and a haven for all sorts of criminals.   

Who says you can't go home?

Ives Manufacturing Company, Holland Street, Bridgeport, CT (1868-1932)

"The largest American manufacturer of toy trains between between 1910 and 1924 !!!"  The "Ives toy trains" were a wish on many Christmas holiday lists.   Ultimately Lionel Trains and American Flyer bought the financially struggling Ives toy company.   


See the following link for photos and details from the historical survey of the original Ives building on Holland Street:  

Ives Manufacturing Company, Bridgeport, CT

Years ago, when the North End Boys and Girls Club on Madison Avenue was a 
hang-out for the youth of the 1950's and 1960's,  there was occasionally a toy train show held at the club.  Toy train hobbies certainly were more popular during that era than they are today.    

Bridgeport was and still is an industrial town.  The Ives toy trains are another example of the industrial past of the City of Bridgeport.  

The value of antique trains varies by type and brand.  However, the original Ives toy trains appear to be rarely found by antique train hobbyists.  Lionel and American Flyer are antique toy trains which are more readily available on the antique toy train market.  
Ives also manufactured toy boats for a few years.  These toy boats were discontinued due to lack of sales.  There was a blurb on Wikipedia that the one of the Ives family company owners dumped the casts for the original Ives toy trains in the Connecticut River.   Would be interesting to confirm or refute this historical blurb.  

While reviewing some of the content of historical books written about the Connecticut brass industry, I discovered that the magazine "Popular Mechanics" can provide some insight into the evolution of the toy train industry.  This 1925 Popular Mechanics issue displays an advertisement about Ives toy trains and boats:  Ives Manufacturing Company featured in Popular Mechanics, 1925

Apparently, Ives Manufacturing Company did not make any toys for girls.  Perhaps there is an unknown doll factory hidden in the depths of Bridgeport's ................. history................ to be continued......

Mark Twain and Bridgeport, Connecticut????

In the 8th grade at Blackham School in Bridgeport, CT,  Mrs. Tripoli who was the English Teacher assigned the class to read Mark Twain's book:  Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.   Until that time, I had never really enjoyed grammar school or middle school including English class:

http://www.pbs.org/marktwain/scrapbook/06_connecticut_yankee/page1.html

Grammar school years Kindergarten and Grades 1-6 at Madison School in Bridgeport were tumultuous for me, personally.  Perhaps I had a hidden learning disability.  Yet, kindergarden was marked by a teacher who criticized me for my lack of artistic ability.  Get that!   In 1st Grade, the teacher kept me after school every day for a few weeks because I could not grasp phonetics.  This 1st Grade teacher even spanked 1 or 2 other students in front of the class.  I was amazed, believe me.   It was around that time that I was tossed out of the school's girl scout Brownie troop for being a nonconformist.   Years later in my adult years, the thought did occur to me that this bunch of teachers at Madison School were left-over nazis or communists from the 1940's.  All of them were at retirement age by this time which was the 1960's.  In 6th Grade at Madison School, I had trouble with mathematics.  Turned out this was the time that I had to get my first pair of glasses for myopia because I could not see the blackboard.   In any event, when I questioned the 6th Grade teacher about my math grade on my report card, she showed me her personal grading book.  Her original grades were erased and she had entered lower grades over the original erased scores.  I never said that I noticed.  Later, in college, I successfully completed 4 semesters of Calculus including a summer session of advanced mathematics with Fourier Analysis.  So, this was my rebuttal to the 6th Grade mathematics problem.  What a gross year of school 6th Grade was and I was glad to move over to Blackham School for 7th and 8th Grade middle school.   Mrs. Ray, my 5th Grade teacher at Madison School, was a saving grace in grammar school.  She and her husband lived in a house across the street.   She was an old time school teacher, however, she understood grammar school kids and something about learning and motivation in city schools.

At Blackham middle school with modern teaching techniques, Mrs. Tripoli had a way of teaching literature and grammar that got my attention. Those were the years when strict, traditional teaching methods were being replaced by a modern teaching style.  Mrs. Sullivan was the first modern mathematics teacher in 7th and 8th grade and for the first time I enjoyed mathematics.  Mrs. Carroll was the ever present science teacher in 7th and 8th grade and she was another important influence in my middle school years.  Occasionally, I was a substitute newspaper delivery girl to the old apartments on Main Street (across from St. Vincent's Hospital) in Bridgeport where Mrs. Carroll and her husband lived.

While reading Mark Twain's book Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court during Mrs. Tripoli's class, I was amused by style of verbiage which was used in the book from the knight's era.  I realized even in middle school that there was a jocularity and intended humor in the witty use of the author's period language style.  There is one reference in the book to Bridgeport...(see page 7) in the following book link:

when the protagonist awakens from an unconsious state after hitting his head.

In late 2009, I went for a walk with my dogs, Sassy and Montana, to an area of a local city park that had been closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic since the late 1960's because of construction in the early 1970's of a highway connector (Rt. 25/8).   For many years, I had avoided walking my dogs into this closed-off, barricaded, original park area.  There was no particular reason for avoiding this off-limits area and I often saw other people walking down the barricaded road.  It is not as if this was Area 51.   So one Sunday morning, Montana, Sassy, and me went walking down the closed-off road.  I had my cell telephone with me and took some photos.  They are found in the following Flickr photo stream which include the river photos and the old castle style stone building:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67023258@N04/

Additional photos can be viewed in the following two separate Facebook photo links:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=106493099366558&set=a.103869086295626.9396.100000176060762&type=3&l=d39ef6c910&permPage=1#!/photo.php?fbid=106530006029534&set=a.103869086295626.9396.100000176060762&type=3&l=d39ef6c910&permPage=1


https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.107620012587200.15971.100000176060762&type=3&l=a9840b0674

Although Mark Twain lived at Stormfield in Redding, CT and died there in 1910 coincidentally during the appearance of Halley's Comet (1909 Thomas Edison video of Samuel Clemens at Stormfield in Redding, CT), my theory is that he traveled between New York City and Hartford, CT frequently in the earlier years and traveled through this park area.  The park area is located on old, now abandoned passenger railroad lines, as well as, old carriage travel roads.  One of my photos is of the old castle style stone pump house along the Pequonnock River in Bridgeport, CT which was present when Mark Twain lived.  This is located in the closed-off section of what used to be part of the city park before the 1970's and proximal highway construction.  An old stone castle building in Bridgeport and some fanciful creative writing:  "is that Bridgeport in the distance?".

Although there is no connection nor could anyone find any, I was canoeing on the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park during the 1986 perihelion of Halley's Comet.  My canoe and camping partners and me awoke at 1 am from our tents and pulled-out telescopes and binoculars to view the tail-end appearance of the comet.   Sitting in this beautiful desert along a lonely stretch of the Rio Grande River and with no lights except the stars, Halley's Comet was easy to see.  Bridgeport, CT was just about the last thing on my mind that night.  The comet appeared slightly smaller, dimmer, and more distant than this photo of the comet in a southwestern desert environment: 

Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) Stormfield, Redding, CT in 1921 for sale/lease by Bridgeport Land and Title Company Bridgeport, CT.  Stormfield is still in Redding, however, the estate has been renovated through the last few decades.

Frisbie Pies and the Tangential History of Frisbee Flying Objects

I was watching a NatGeo (National Geographic) episode on cable television a few days ago.  This particular NatGeo episode reviewed the process of documentation of UFO's.  I am not particularly interested in the subject matter of UFO's since I prefer to concentrate on what goes on around me in the earthly plane instead of outer space.

In any event, the television show interviewed an astronomer and director of MUFON in Terryville, CT.  MUFON has an internet database where anyone can report a UFO sighting and MUFON staff will investigate the sighting and document the event. 

The NatGeo episode covered a variety of UFO topics most of which are old news to the average television viewer.  One note of the show did peak my curiosity-the comment that the "Frisbee" flying disc toy was invented the "year after" the Roswell, NM flying saucer incident which occurred in June or July of 1947.  Thus, the television show note implied that the plastic Frisbee toy was invented in 1948.   The following is a mock-up photo of the 1947 Roswell, NM incident:

Bridgeport, CT, like most other cities and towns, prides itself on inventions and unique events that are part of the city's history.  As a person who grew-up in Bridgeport, CT,  I am aware that Bridgeport has occassionally claimed the invention of the Frisbee, i. e., the plastic disc toy that one can throw and use to perform entertaining tricks with friends or their pet dogs.  I also am aware that there was a famous Bridgeport, CT Frisbie Pies company that sold pies in thin metal tins in the late 1800's to the early 1900's.   Anecdotal history also claims that Yale University students (New Haven, CT) used these thin metal pie tins to toss around and play games with their friends.   

Hence, I refer in the Blog Post Title to the "Frisbie Pies and the Tangential History of Frisbee Flying Objects".  Kindly see the following link for one summary of the history of the invention of the plastic flying disc Frisbee:

http://ultimatefrisbeethrows.com/history-of-frisbee/who-invented-frisbee.php

According to this summary the plastic disc toy, Frisbee, was to patented and sold in the mid 1950's by the Wham-O Company of California.  The actual inventors of the toy in the 1950's were listed as being from California.  Therefore, the comment that the Frisbee toy, as stated in the NatGeo television show, was invented the year after the Roswell, NM flying saucer incident is not quite accurate.  The plastic disc toy was not manufactured and sold until the mid 1950's.  Below is a drawing by a Mr. Header of one Frisbee toy patent:

 
Also, Bridgeport, CT can rightfully claim the old Frisbie Pie Company, but cannot honor itself as inventors of the plastic toy Frisbee.

Anyone who has evidence to the contrary, i. e., that the plastic Frisbee toy was invented in Bridgeport, feel free to comment.  As a scientist, I suspect that the modern plastic Frisbee toy was probably invented by a few different people, but was only patented and sold to Wham-O by 1 or 2 people in the 1950's.

Lastly, in the 1960's there were radio news reports from a local Bridgeport, CT station that UFO's were hovering over City Hall for more than one night.  Supposedly, hundreds of people went to the City Hall area on those nights to witness the "UFO's".  I was too young to go to the City Hall to look at the alleged "UFO's" hovering over City Hall, however, to date, I have not been able to find newspaper reports of the incident.  When I recently checked the MUFON database there were no similar reports documented from that same time period and the location.  I cannot imagine why a UFO would bother to hover over the City of Bridgeport's City Hall annex.

Since the Summer Olympics just began this weekend, I share the following illustration from antiquity that the concept of flying discs is not something that is truly a 19th or 20th century invention: 

Barnum Museum - Building Frieze

The old Barnum Museum is located in downtown Bridgeport at 820 Main Street.  There is a frieze - sculpture - above the entrance and windows.  There is also a second frieze above the roof around the rotunda.  The frieze(s) were installed between 1891 and 1893.  The sculpture artist is documented as "UNKNOWN" in the description of the Smithsonian Museum

 (Barnum Museum frieze) .   

Today's blog issue:  Any readers know who sculpted the frieze(s) on the Barnum Museum?  Feel free to comment if you can find out who sculpted the frieze(s).

Some added trivia, the original Barnum Museum was in New York City prior to the building of the museum in Bridgeport, CT. 

Pequonnock Nursery-Plant Nursery (Map 1867-Bridgeport, CT)

Pequonnock Nursery-1867

Just under Berkshire Mill Pond
which is near River Street in today's Bridgeport;

Brooklawn Country Club

Brooklawn Country Club (circa 1921)

http://books.google.com/books?id=pkhIAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA70&img=1&zoom=3&hl=en&sig=ACfU3U3PdQrY0WMqiXNfgMx6RN4kPrPcBQ&ci=55%2C38%2C886%2C585&edge=0

Architecture, Art and Sculpture in or from Bridgeport (cont'd)

Another artist born in Bridgeport (birthdate 1950)
who is included in the Smithsonian Art Archives:

Jane Hammond

http://www.janehammondartist.com/

Painting entitled: My Heavens (Smithsonian Art Archives)

Architecture, Art and Sculpture in Bridgeport (cont'd)

The Bridgeport Arts Festival takes place on Saturday, July 7, 2012 at McLevy Green!

There are a few 19th and 20th Century artists who were born in Bridgeport, CT and left.  One of them is Ed Garman (1914-2004/California):

Painting entitled: No. 260 (Smithsonian Art Archives)

Additional information about Garman and his painting can be found in the following links:

http://www.caldwellgallery.com/bios/garman_biography.html

http://www.abstract-art.com/abstraction/l3_more_artists/ma45_garman.html

Architecture, Art and Sculpture in Bridgeport

My own photos (2010) of the 21 panel concrete cast sculpture by Constantine Nivola on the exterior of the Connecticut Post Building, 410 State Street, Bridgeport, CT.  The following link from the Smithsonian Institute describes the panel content created by the artist for the newspaper buiding:  http://siris-artinventories.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?session=1288UY170V172.40392&profile=ariall&uri=link=3100011~!297143~!3100001~!3100002&aspect=Browse&menu=search&ri=3&source=~!siartinventories&term=Connecticut+Post,+Bridgeport,+Connecticut&index=#focus

The sculpture is actually located on the east side of the building and not the west side as written in the Smithsonian description.  The corner of Lafayette Boulevard and State Street is the best view.  The piece has been there since 1966 and is often unnoticed or passed by in this downtown area.

Who Says You Can't Go Home?

While drivng around the East Bridgport, CT area along the Pequonnock River 3 years ago surveying trees and bird habitat, I noticed this residential building on one of the side streets (see below)  My habit is to take impromtu photos with my cell telephone, so I stopped my truck to get this one since I could not believe my eyes: a slab of stone with my last name.  I am not superstitious, yet I thought there is only one other place that I may ever see my last name carved in stone.  I got out and took this photo.  In any event, my surmise was that this may have once been an exclusive apartment building. 

To digress, I have no particular fascination for cemeteries, although my former significant-other had a thing for scrutinizing old cemeteries on vacations to New Hampshire or weekend wanderings around Pound Ridge, NY.  "I'll wait in the car", I would say.  She had a friend who once insisted that I go to see the old Monks cemetery at the GTE Management Training Center in West Norwalk, CT.  I could not comprehend why? This location ultimately became the Dolce Vida which is a professional meeting and banquet facility. 

Could not ever figure the her out that way.  It was either take me out to breakfast at the Sherwood Diner (Westport, CT) every Sunday morning, or else.  My preference was to be out for a Sunday morning training run through the trails of the Lucius Ordway Nature Conservancy or around Silvermine, CT's serene roads-"hitting the hills" for a 10-15 miler.  Pulling out my racing bike and riding up through East Norwalk and Weston, CT was another option.  All joking aside, my former significant-other missed the Silvermine Cemetery which is a true cemetery buff's delight.  I used to run by the cemetery 5 times a week, but never stopped to go through the gate to look at tombstones of famous local personages.

While I was revisiting Bridgeport, CT's historical East Bridgeport section for scientific reasons, my research trajected into the local 1600's, 1700's, and 1800's history of this place. Based on records, there were no persons with the same last name "George" in the archives of city maps.  One of these days, when I have time and can face the Bridgeport brass, I am going to mosey down to the Town Clerk's Office to find out whose name is on this late 19th- early 20th Century building.

Bridgeport Film Industry (cont'd) Director Edward Jose and The Light that Failed

To:  National Film Preservation Foundation;

Thank you for the extensive and detailed information.  Some of the "Light that Failed" was filmed here in Bridgeport, CT.  If a copy of the film can be found
and preserved, I would be interested in showing the film at a local old time, landmark theatre here in Bridgeport.



Elaine M. George

On Fri, Jun 29, 2012 at 11:00 PM, -------------- wrote:


Dear Ms. George,

Thank you for your inquiry. We were unable to find any information about The Last Light, though Edward José did direct a 1916 film titled The Light That Failed, which seems to be lost.  A filmography for José can be found here: http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/SearchResult.aspx?s=1&retailCheck=&Type=PN&CatID=DATABIN_DIRECTOR&ID=44732&AN_ID=&searchedFor=Edward_Jos%C3%A9_

Regarding Astra films, the 7 minute exhibitors reel for the Astra serial Hands Up can be found on the DVD set More Treasures From American Film Archives. For a list of the company’s surviving films, please consult the list reproduced below. The curator for More Treasures is currently on vacation, but when he returns I can ask him if he knows of any reference sources for the company.
Best Wishes,


Programs Assistant
National Film Preservation Foundation
870 Market Street, Suite 1113
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-392-7291 x302





FI:           WONDERFUL ADVENTURES OF PIP, SQUEAK AND WILFRED, THE (UK, Lancelot Speed, 1921)
PC:         Astra Films
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           WILFRED'S WONDERFUL ADVENTURES (UK, Lancelot Speed, 1921)
PC:         Astra Films
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           WILFRED'S NIGHTMARE (UK, Lancelot Speed, 1921)
PC:         Astra Films
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           WHAT HAPPENED TO SQUEAK? (UK, Lancelot Speed, 1921)
PC:         Astra Films
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           WAIFS (US, Albert Parker, 1918)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Hulette, Gladys; Hale, Creighton; Gilmore (Gilmour), John H.; Hiers, Walter
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           UPS AND DOWNS (UK, Lancelot Speed, 1921)
PC:         Astra Films
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           TROUBLE IN THE NURSERY (UK, Lancelot Speed, 1921)
PC:         Astra Films
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           TREASURE HUNTERS, THE (UK, Lancelot Speed, 1921)
PC:         Astra Films
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           [TIGER'S TRAIL. UNIDENTIFIED EPISODE, THE] (US, Paul C. Hurst, 1919)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Larkin, George; Roland, Ruth
AR:         UCLA Film and Television Archive (Los Angeles) [USL]

FI:           TIGER'S TRAIL, EPISODE 03. THE HUMAN CHAIN, THE (US, Robert Ellis, 1919)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           [THIRD EYE. UNIDENTIFIED CHAPTER, THE] (US, James Wesley Horne, 1920)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Oland, Warner; Percy, Eileen
AR:         UCLA Film and Television Archive (Los Angeles) [USL]

FI:           SIX-ARMED IMAGE, THE (UK, Lancelot Speed, 1921)
PC:         Astra Films
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           [SHIELDING SHADOW. UNIDENTIFIED CHAPTER, THE] (US, Louis J. Gasnier & Donald MacKenzie, 1916)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Darmond, Grace; Kellard, Ralph
AR:         UCLA Film and Television Archive (Los Angeles) [USL]

FI:           SEVEN PEARLS. CHAPTER 14, THE TOWER OF DEATH, THE (US, Donald Mackenzie, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Hale, Creighton; Bary, Léon
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           SEVEN PEARLS. CHAPTER 12, BURIED ALIVE, THE (US, Donald MacKenzie, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Hale, Creighton; King, Mollie; Buckley, Floyd; Barry, Leon; Sell, Henry G.; Dunn, John J.
AR:         National Archives of Canada (Ottawa) [CAO]; Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           SEVEN PEARLS. CHAPTER 11, GEMS OF JEOPARDY, THE (US, Donald Mackenzie, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Hale, Creighton; Bary, Léon
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           SEVEN PEARLS. CHAPTER 08, THE MAN TRAP, THE (US, Donald MacKenzie, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Hale, Creighton; King, Mollie; Buckley, Floyd; Barry, Leon; Sell, Henry G.; Dunn, John J.
AR:         National Archives of Canada (Ottawa) [CAO]; Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           SEVEN PEARLS. CHAPTER 07, THE FALSE PEARL, THE (US, Donald Mackenzie, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Hale, Creighton; Bary, Léon
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           SEVEN PEARLS. CHAPTER 04, AMID THE CLOUDS, THE (US, Donald MacKenzie, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Hale, Creighton; King, Mollie; Buckley, Floyd; Barry, Leon; Sell, Henry G.; Dunn, John J.
AR:         National Archives of Canada (Ottawa) [CAO]; Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           SEVEN PEARLS. CHAPTER 03, THE AIR PERIL, THE (US, Donald MacKenzie, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Hale, Creighton; King, Mollie; Buckley, Floyd; Barry, Leon; Sell, Henry G.; Dunn, John J.
AR:         National Archives of Canada (Ottawa) [CAO]; Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           SEVEN PEARLS. CHAPTER 01, THE SULTAN'S NECKLACE, THE (US, Donald Mackenzie, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Hale, Creighton; Bary, Léon
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           ROMANCE OF OLD BAGHDAD, A (UK, Kenelm Foss, 1922)
PC:         Astra Films
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           RECOIL, THE (US, George Fitzmaurice, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Courtenay, William; Greuze, Lillian; Belcher, Frank; Adams, Dora Mills; Raymond, William
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]; Museum of Modern Art (New York) [USM]

FI:           POPSKI'S EARLY LIFE (UK, Lancelot Speed, 1921)
PC:         Astra Films
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           PIP AND WILFRED DETECTIVES (UK, Lancelot Speed, 1921)
PC:         Astra Films
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           PER ARDUA AD ASTRA (UK, 1929)
PC:         British Screen Productions
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           PEARL OF THE ARMY. CHAPTER 15, THE COLONEL'S ORDERLY (US, Edward José, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Kellard, Ralph; White, Pearl; Wayne, Marie; Friebus, Theodore; Carleton, William T.; Buckley, Floyd
AR:         Cinémathèque Française (Paris) [FRC]

FI:           PEARL OF THE ARMY. CHAPTER 14, THE FLAG DESPOILER (US, Edward José, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Kellard, Ralph; White, Pearl; Wayne, Marie; Friebus, Theodore; Carleton, William T.; Buckley, Floyd
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]; National Archives of Canada (Ottawa) [CAO]; Cinémathèque Française (Paris) [FRC]

FI:           PEARL OF THE ARMY. CHAPTER 13, MODERN BUCCANEERS (US, Edward José, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Kellard, Ralph; White, Pearl; Wayne, Marie; Friebus, Theodore; Carleton, William T.; Buckley, Floyd
AR:         National Archives of Canada (Ottawa) [CAO]; Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]; Cinémathèque Française (Paris) [FRC]

FI:           PEARL OF THE ARMY. CHAPTER 12, THE FOREIGN ALLIANCE (US, Edward José, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Friebus, Theodore; White, Pearl; Kellard, Ralph; Wayne, Marie; Buckley, Floyd; Carleton, William T.
AR:         Cinémathèque Française (Paris) [FRC]

FI:           PEARL OF THE ARMY. CHAPTER 11, A MILLION VOLUNTEERS (US, Edward José, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Friebus, Theodore; White, Pearl; Kellard, Ralph; Wayne, Marie; Buckley, Floyd; Carleton, William T.
AR:         George Eastman House (Rochester) [USR]; Cinémathèque Française (Paris) [FRC]

FI:           PEARL OF THE ARMY. CHAPTER 10, THE SILENT ARMY (US, Edward José, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         White, Pearl; Kellard, Ralph; Friebus, Theodore; Wayne, Marie; Carleton, William T.; Buckley, Floyd; Cuny, Joe
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]; National Archives of Canada (Ottawa) [CAO]; Cinémathèque Française (Paris) [FRC]

FI:           PEARL OF THE ARMY. CHAPTER 09, THE MONROE DOCTRINE (US, Edward José, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         White, Pearl; Kellard, Ralph; Friebus, Theodore; Wayne, Marie; Carleton, William T.; Buckley, Floyd; Cuny, Joe
AR:         George Eastman House (Rochester) [USR]; Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]; National Archives of Canada (Ottawa) [CAO]; Cinémathèque Française (Paris) [FRC]

FI:           PEARL OF THE ARMY. CHAPTER 08, INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY (US, Edward José, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         White, Pearl; Kellard, Ralph; Friebus, Theodore; Wayne, Marie; Carleton, William T.; Buckley, Floyd; Cuny, Joe
AR:         George Eastman House (Rochester) [USR]; Cinémathèque Française (Paris) [FRC]

FI:           PEARL OF THE ARMY. CHAPTER 07, FOR THE STARS AND STRIPES (US, Edward José, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         White, Pearl; Kellard, Ralph; Friebus, Theodore; Wayne, Marie; Carleton, William T.; Buckley, Floyd; Cuny, Joe
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]; National Archives of Canada (Ottawa) [CAO]; Cinémathèque Française (Paris) [FRC]

FI:           PEARL OF THE ARMY. CHAPTER 06, MAJOR BRENT'S PERFIDY (US, Edward José, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         White, Pearl; Kellard, Ralph; Wayne, Marie; Buckley, Floyd; Friebus, Theodore; Carleton, William T.
AR:         George Eastman House (Rochester) [USR]; Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]; Cinémathèque Française (Paris) [FRC]

FI:           PEARL OF THE ARMY. CHAPTER 05, SOMEWHERE IN GRENADA (US, Edward José, 1916)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         White, Pearl; Kellard, Ralph; Wayne, Marie; Buckley, Floyd; Friebus, Theodore; Carleton, William T.
AR:         George Eastman House (Rochester) [USR]; Cinémathèque Française (Paris) [FRC]

FI:           PEARL OF THE ARMY. CHAPTER 04, WAR CLOUDS (US, Edward José, 1916)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         White, Pearl; Kellard, Ralph; Friebus, Theodore; Wayne, Marie; Carleton, William T.; Buckley, Floyd; Cuny, Joe
AR:         George Eastman House (Rochester) [USR]; Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]; National Archives of Canada (Ottawa) [CAO]; Cinémathèque Française (Paris) [FRC]

FI:           PEARL OF THE ARMY. CHAPTER 03, THE SILENT MENACE (US, Edward José, 1916)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         White, Pearl; Kellard, Ralph; Wayne, Marie; Buckley, Floyd; Friebus, Theodore; Carleton, William T.
AR:         George Eastman House (Rochester) [USR]; Cinémathèque Française (Paris) [FRC]

FI:           PEARL OF THE ARMY. CHAPTER 02, FOUND GUILTY (US, Edward José, 1916)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         White, Pearl; Kellard, Ralph; Wayne, Marie; Buckley, Floyd; Friebus, Theodore; Carleton, William T.
AR:         Cinémathèque Française (Paris) [FRC]; George Eastman House (Rochester) [USR]

FI:           PEARL OF THE ARMY. CHAPTER 01, THE TRAITOR (US, Edward José, 1916)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Friebus, Theodore; White, Pearl; Kellard, Ralph; Wayne, Marie; Buckley, Floyd; Carleton, William T.
AR:         George Eastman House (Rochester) [USR]; National Archives of Canada (Ottawa) [CAO]; Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]; Cinémathèque Française (Paris) [FRC]

FI:           OVER THE EDGE OF THE WORLD (UK, Lancelot Speed, 1921)
PC:         Astra Films
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           ON-THE-SQUARE GIRL, THE (US, George Fitzmaurice, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Lytton, L. Rogers; Dalmores, Aimee; Hall, Donald; Lawford, Ernest; Tucker, Richard
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           NO. 5 JOHN STREET (UK, Kenelm Foss, 1921)
PC:         Astra Films
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           NEARING HOME (UK, Lancelot Speed, 1921)
PC:         Astra Films
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           [MYSTERY OF THE DOUBLE CROSS. UNIDENTIFIED CHAPTERS] (US, William Parke, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
AR:         Academy Film Archive (Beverly Hills) [USF]

FI:           MYSTERY OF THE DOUBLE CROSS. CHAPTER 15, THE DOUBLE CROSS (US, William Parke, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Bary, Léon; Stuart, Ralph; James, Gladden; Friebus, Theodore; Fraser, Harry
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           MYSTERY OF THE DOUBLE CROSS. CHAPTER 14, THE HIDDEN BRAND (US, William Parke, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Bary, Léon; Stuart, Ralph; James, Gladden; Friebus, Theodore; Fraser, Harry
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           MYSTERY OF THE DOUBLE CROSS. CHAPTER 13, THE FACE OF THE STRANGER (US, William Parke, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Bary, Léon; Stuart, Ralph; James, Gladden; Friebus, Theodore; Fraser, Harry
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           MYSTERY OF THE DOUBLE CROSS. CHAPTER 12, THE RIDDLE OF THE CROSS (US, William Parke, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Bary, Léon; Stuart, Ralph; James, Gladden; Friebus, Theodore; Fraser, Harry
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           MYSTERY OF THE DOUBLE CROSS. CHAPTER 11, LOVE'S SACRIFICE (US, William Parke, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Bary, Léon; Stuart, Ralph; James, Gladden; Friebus, Theodore; Fraser, Harry
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           MYSTERY OF THE DOUBLE CROSS. CHAPTER 10, THE HOLE-IN-THE-WALL (US, William Parke, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Bary, Léon; Stuart, Ralph; James, Gladden; Friebus, Theodore; Fraser, Harry
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           MYSTERY OF THE DOUBLE CROSS. CHAPTER 09, WHEN JAILBIRDS FLY (US, William Parke, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Bary, Léon; Stuart, Ralph; James, Gladden; Friebus, Theodore; Fraser, Harry
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           MYSTERY OF THE DOUBLE CROSS. CHAPTER 08, THE STRANGER DISPOSES (US, William Parke, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Bary, Léon; Stuart, Ralph; James, Gladden; Friebus, Theodore; Fraser, Harry
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           MYSTERY OF THE DOUBLE CROSS. CHAPTER 07, INTO THIN AIR (US, William Parke, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Bary, Léon; Stuart, Ralph; James, Gladden; Friebus, Theodore; Fraser, Harry
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           MYSTERY OF THE DOUBLE CROSS. CHAPTER 06, THE DEAD COME TO LIFE (US, William Parke, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Bary, Léon; Stuart, Ralph; James, Gladden; Friebus, Theodore; Fraser, Harry
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           MYSTERY OF THE DOUBLE CROSS. CHAPTER 05, THE LIFE CURRENT (US, William Parke, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Bary, Léon; Stuart, Ralph; James, Gladden; Friebus, Theodore; Fraser, Harry
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           MYSTERY OF THE DOUBLE CROSS. CHAPTER 04, KIDNAPPED (US, William Parke, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Bary, Léon; Stuart, Ralph
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           MYSTERY OF THE DOUBLE CROSS. CHAPTER 03, AN HOUR TO LIVE (US, William Parke, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Bary, Léon; Stuart, Ralph; James, Gladden; Friebus, Theodore; Fraser, Harry
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           MYSTERY OF THE DOUBLE CROSS. CHAPTER 02, THE MASKED STRANGER (US, William Parke, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Bary, Léon; Stuart, Ralph; James, Gladden; Friebus, Theodore; Fraser, Harry; Stuart, Ralph
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]; UCLA Film and Television Archive (Los Angeles) [USL]

FI:           MYSTERY OF THE DOUBLE CROSS. CHAPTER 01, THE LADY IN NUMBER 7 (US, William Parke, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         King, Mollie; Bary, Léon; Stuart, Ralph; James, Gladden; Friebus, Theodore; Fraser, Harry
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           [LIGHTNING RAIDER. UNIDENTIFIED CHAPTERS, THE] (US, George B. Seitz, 1919)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Oland, Warner; White, Pearl; Gsell, Henry
AR:         UCLA Film and Television Archive (Los Angeles) [USL]; Academy Film Archive (Beverly Hills) [USF]

FI:           LIGHTNING RAIDER. CHAPTER 14, CLEARED OF GUILT, THE (US, George B. Seitz, 1919)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Oland, Warner; White, Pearl; Gsell, Henry; Redman, Frank
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           LIGHTNING RAIDER. CHAPTER 13, THE WHITE ROSES, THE (US, George B. Seitz, 1919)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Oland, Warner; White, Pearl; Gsell, Henry; Redman, Frank
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           LIGHTNING RAIDER. CHAPTER 11, THE BARS OF DEATH, THE (US, George B. Seitz, 1919)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Oland, Warner; White, Pearl; Gsell, Henry; Redman, Frank
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           LIGHTNING RAIDER. CHAPTER 08, CAVE OF DREAD, THE (US, George B. Seitz, 1919)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Oland, Warner; White, Pearl; Gsell, Henry
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           LIGHTNING RAIDER. CHAPTER 06, THE MYSTIC BOX, THE (US, George B. Seitz, 1919)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Oland, Warner; White, Pearl; Gsell, Henry; Redman, Frank
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]; UCLA Film and Television Archive (Los Angeles) [USL]

FI:           LIGHTNING RAIDER. CHAPTER 03, UNDERWORLD TERRORS, THE (US, George B. Seitz, 1919)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Oland, Warner; White, Pearl; Gsell, Henry; Redman, Frank
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           LIGHTNING RAIDER. CHAPTER 02, THE COUNTERPLOT, THE (US, George B. Seitz, 1919)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Oland, Warner; White, Pearl; Gsell, Henry; Redman, Frank
AR:         Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           HUNTING OF THE HAWK, THE (US, George Fitzmaurice, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Courtenay, William; Snow, Marguerite; Clugston, Robert
AR:         National Archives of Canada (Ottawa) [CAO]; Library of Congress (Washington) [USW]

FI:           HOUSE OF PERIL, THE (UK, Kenelm Foss, 1922)
PC:         Astra Films
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           HOUSE OF HATE. EPISODE 02, THE TIGER'S EYE, THE (US, George B. Seitz, 1918)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         White, Pearl; Moreno, Antonio; Gilmore (Gilmour), John H.; Shanor, Peggy; Clerget, Paul; Dillon, John Webb; Buckley, Floyd; Hoffman, Ruby; Wolheim, Louis; Cuny, Joe; Panzer, Paul W.
AR:         Gosfilmofond of Russia (Moscow) [RUR]

FI:           HOUSE OF HATE. EPISODE 01, THE HOODED TERROR, THE (US, George B. Seitz, 1918)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         White, Pearl; Moreno, Antonio; Gilmore (Gilmour), John H.; Shanor, Peggy; Clerget, Paul; Dillon, John Webb; Buckley, Floyd; Hoffman, Ruby; Wolheim, Louis; Cuny, Joe; Panzer, Paul W.
AR:         Gosfilmofond of Russia (Moscow) [RUR]

FI:           HANDS UP (PROMO REEL FOR EXHIBITORS) (US, 1918)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Chesebro, George; Roland, Ruth
AR:         UCLA Film and Television Archive (Los Angeles) [USL]

FI:           HANDS UP (US, James Wesley Horne, 1918)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.; Pathé Exchange, Inc.
AR:         UCLA Film and Television Archive (Los Angeles) [USL]

FI:           GIRL FROM BOHEMIA, THE (US, Lawrence McGill, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
AR:         Arhiva Nationala de Filme (Bucuresti) [ROB]; Archives du Film du CNC (Bois d'Arcy) [FRB]

FI:           FIRST LAW, THE (US, Lawrence McGill, 1918)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
AR:         UCLA Film and Television Archive (Los Angeles) [USL]

FI:           FEMME DE L'EMBUSQUÉ, LA (US, 1918)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Hulette, Gladys; Hale, Creighton
AR:         Archives du Film du CNC (Bois d'Arcy) [FRB]

FI:           [FATAL RING. UNIDENTIFIED CHAPTER, THE] (US, George B. Seitz, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
CA:         Foxe, Earle; White, Pearl; Oland, Warner; Buckley, Floyd; Gravina, Cesare; Hoffman, Ruby; Sell, Henry G.; Ferguson, Mattie
AR:         UCLA Film and Television Archive (Los Angeles) [USL]

FI:           FATAL RING, THE (US, George B. Seitz, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
AR:         UCLA Film and Television Archive (Los Angeles) [USL]

FI:           CATCHING THE SEASIDE TRAIN (UK, Lancelot Speed, 1921)
PC:         Astra Films
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           CASTAWAYS, THE (UK, Lancelot Speed, 1921)
PC:         Astra Films
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           BREED OF THE TRESHAMS, THE (UK, Kenelm Foss, 1921)
PC:         Astra Films
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           ANGEL FACTORY, THE (US, Lawrence McGill, 1917)
PC:         Astra Film Corp.
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]

FI:           ALL ROADS LEAD TO CALVARY (UK, Kenelm Foss, 1921)
PC:         Astra Films
CA:         Grey, Minna; Burleigh, Bertram
AR:         bfi/National Film and Television Archive (London) [GBB]


From: Elaine George [mailto:egeorge@caa.columbia.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2012 9:18 AM
To: info@filmpreservation.org
Subject: Silent Film: The Last Light, Director: Edward Jose, Year: 1916


A) I would like to find a copy of this film, if possible?



Have you any suggestions?







B) Edward Jose, the Director, worked with Astra Films and Astra Film Corporation.



What would be the best reference source to research historical information about Astra Films?







Elaine M. George











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