Distograph [MacMillan's]
Maker and role
A. W. MacMillan, Manufacturer
Production date
1918
See full details
Object detail
Accession number
2015.107
Maker
Description
Grey covered cardboard box lid with name of product and manufacturer on top and a diagram, information and instructions inside lid. Metal distograph with distance measurements. Grey covered cardboard box base with pencil markings written on bottom. Small metal disc.
Brief History
Used to aid focus in photography, the distograph was an inexpensive pocket-sized instrument patented in 1918 by A.W. MacMillan of Chicago, USA. Conceived of as a simple way to mitigate loss of film due to being out of focus, the distograph worked by giving the photographer the horizontal distance in feet between their eyes and their subject. By setting the small pointer to the height of the user, the distograph was held up so the sight pointed to the floor directly below the subject to the photographed, then the scale opposite the sight could be consulted for the distance.
Marks
MACMILLAN'S / DISTOGRAPH / MANUFACTURED / BY / A. W. MACMILLAN / 43RD ST, & ELLIS AVE. / CHICAGO. ILL. Printed
[picture, description, instructions for distograph] HANDLE; BEFORE USING / DISTOGRAPH / PLACE THIS / POINTER / OPPOSITE FIGURE / WHICH CORRES- / PONDS WITH YOUR / OWN HEIGHT; LOOK AT / BASE / OF SUBJECT; HORIZONTAL / DISTANCE / BETWEEN EYE / AND SUBJECT / WILL BE SEEN / HERE; TOP EDGE / OF THIS SIGHT / MUST BE IN / LINE WITH / FLOOR / UNDER SUBJECT; PAT. JAN.8-1918 ; MNF'D BY A. W. MACMILLAN, 43RD ST. & ELLIS AVE., CHICAGO Label
MACMILLAN'S / DISTOGRAPH / PAT. JAN.8.18 Label
$1.50 / 40 Hand-written
4'10 5'0 5'2 5'4 5'6 5'8 5'10 6'0 6'2 Printed
100 / 50 / 25 / 20 / 15 / 10 / 8 / 6 / 5 Printed
[picture, description, instructions for distograph] HANDLE; BEFORE USING / DISTOGRAPH / PLACE THIS / POINTER / OPPOSITE FIGURE / WHICH CORRES- / PONDS WITH YOUR / OWN HEIGHT; LOOK AT / BASE / OF SUBJECT; HORIZONTAL / DISTANCE / BETWEEN EYE / AND SUBJECT / WILL BE SEEN / HERE; TOP EDGE / OF THIS SIGHT / MUST BE IN / LINE WITH / FLOOR / UNDER SUBJECT; PAT. JAN.8-1918 ; MNF'D BY A. W. MACMILLAN, 43RD ST. & ELLIS AVE., CHICAGO Label
MACMILLAN'S / DISTOGRAPH / PAT. JAN.8.18 Label
$1.50 / 40 Hand-written
4'10 5'0 5'2 5'4 5'6 5'8 5'10 6'0 6'2 Printed
100 / 50 / 25 / 20 / 15 / 10 / 8 / 6 / 5 Printed
Media/Materials
Credit Line
A. W. MacMillan. 1918. Distograph [MacMillan's], 2015.107. The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
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