Share your favorites on Show & Tell

Photographer's tool to make children smile during photography

In Cameras > Camera Accessories > Show & Tell and Tools and Hardware > Whistles > Show & Tell.
Toys1 of 5315ca1920s/30s Issmayer Gauge 1 Train StationFormative Toys Soldiers of the World - World War I French Infantryman Kmart Exclusive 1997
15
Love it
0
Like it

Horseradishman1Horseradishman1 loves this.
AnnaBAnnaB loves this.
JohnsmithJohnsmith loves this.
ZillaZilla loves this.
f64imagerf64imager loves this.
DeanteaksDeanteaks loves this.
fortapachefortapache loves this.
ho2cultchaho2cultcha loves this.
inkyinky loves this.
rniedermanrniederman loves this.
blunderbuss2blunderbuss2 loves this.
aghcollectaghcollect loves this.
ManikinManikin loves this.
walksoftlywalksoftly loves this.
pops52pops52 loves this.
See 13 more
Add to collection

    Please create an account, or Log in here

    If you don't have an account, create one here.


    Create a Show & TellReport as inappropriate


    Posted 10 years ago

    hotairfan
    (385 items)

    This tool was used in the late 1800's to assist the photographer to help children (and sometimes adults) smile when their picture was taken. You probably heard the expression "watch the birdie", well this is a photographer's birdie.
    You began by filling the cup below the brass bird with water. The photographer would then tell the photographic model to "watch the birdie" and he would blow slightly in the rubber tubing and the bird would warble like a canary and the beak and tail would flicker up and down. I display this at many historical shows and it always makes the people in the audience smile and sometimes laugh.
    As a child, you might of had, as I did, a plastic bird whistle that you filled with water and it would warble similar to this.
    I saw one on the Ebay auction site and the seller listed as a tea kettle whistle. It is not a tea kettle whistle. It's a photographer's birdie.

    logo
    Camera Accessories
    See all
    Vintage large Lancaster's Patent rotary shutter with lens & mounting ring #4139
    Vintage large Lancaster's Patent ro...
    $57
    2 x Vintage Lancaster's Patent rotary shutters and lens c1890 #4159
    2 x Vintage Lancaster's Patent rota...
    $16
    Folmer Graflex 3 Cell With Patent Number
    Folmer Graflex 3 Cell With Patent N...
    $282
    Set of five Thornton Pickard double dark slides 1/2 Plate Camera #4170
    Set of five Thornton Pickard double...
    $3
    logo
    Vintage large Lancaster's Patent rotary shutter with lens & mounting ring #4139
    Vintage large Lancaster's Patent ro...
    $57
    See all

    Comments

    1. pops52 pops52, 10 years ago
      hotairfan, You have some very unique items! Thanks for posting!
    2. inky inky, 10 years ago
      Made me smile!...:-)

    Want to post a comment?

    Create an account or login in order to post a comment.