An Early History of
Motion Picture

W.K.L. Dickson (1860-1935)
and Antonia Dickson
History of the Kinetograph, Kinetoscope,
and the Kineto-Photograph.
New York: Raff and Gamon, 1895
Rare Book & Special Collections Division
Copyright deposit (128.3)

Motion picture innovator W.K.L. Dickson and his sister Antonia wrote this pamphlet on the early history of film production, adapted from an article Antonia had published in Leslie's Monthly. Published in 1895 by Edison's concessionaire Raff and Gamon, this booklet was designed to stimulate sales of the Kinetoscope, the device Dickson had invented on which to play back early films. The design and artwork for the title page are by W.K.L. Dickson, who surrounded the title with scenes from Kintetoscope films, including boxers Corbett and Courtney (lower right); Buffalo Bill (to Corbett's left); Annie Oakley (lower left); and Annabelle Moore doing her famous "Butterfly Dance" (two frames above Oakley).