The years 2014 and 2015 were particularly filled with discoveries.
In November 2014, a pair of Gallé lamps equipped with an electrical system that could be connected to a Lumière-type speaker were put up for sale in Doullens in the Somme. These lamps have fortunately found their way into Gaumont’s sound device collection to complete it.
©Nicolas Mathéus/Gaumont
In June 2015, the Charles Proust’s Gaumont chronomegaphone was put up for sale at the Chateau d’Artigny in Montbazon, the Indre et Loire region. It was Gaumont who won the auction against the Mexico City Film Library, which was also very interested, as the first demonstration of the device took place in 1912 at the Mexico City Opera.
© Jérôme Prébois/Gaumont
2016 began very well with the acquisition of nearly 300 drawings, plans and sketches by Max Douy (1914-2007) who was the set designer on 21 Gaumont films between 1945 and 1983. 17 titles are now complete with unique and original pieces including the 3 “Fantomas” by Hunebelle or the “Four Bags Full” by Claude Autant-Lara.
