Grahame N's Web Pages

9,5 GROUPS AROUND THE WORLD

The 9.5mm amateur movie gauge was launched by the giant Pathé company in France for Christmas 1922 with a hand-turned projector, the Pathé-Baby. Within a year their Pathéscope company in the UK (who had previously imported Pathé phonographs, record players and the early and bulky 28mm KOK movie projector) launched the same projector. Soon a matching hand-turned camera arrived and 9,5mm movies were here to stay!

9,5mm films and equipment were marketed throughout the world, with major inroads in Europe and what was then the British Empire (later Commonwealth countries). Pathé had companies or distributors in France, UK, Spain, Italy, Germany, India, Australia, and even the USA. Unfortunately the slump of the 1920's plus heavy marketing of Kodak's 8mm gauge in the early 1930's meant that the Pathex company in the USA ceased trading in 9,5mm by around 1934.

Today 9,5mm relies solely on a strong group of enthusiasts who keep the supply of camera film, equipment and accessories available. The main thrust comes from France and the UK where in fact the largest sales of 9,5mm films and equipment were originally made. If you are interested in the first real home movie film format why not join the 9,5mm Group in your country?

UNITED KINGDOM

Group 9.5 was formed in the early 1960's when the final large commercial concern trading as Pathéscope (London) Ltd but actually owned by Great Universal Stores pulled out of 9.5mm sales.

Today Group 9.5 publish an excellent glossy page quarterly magazine, have regular meetings of regional sections in London and the major provinces, run a Spring Fair at Pimlico, London and an Autumn Get-Together at Harpenden, just North of London which includes an annual amateur film competition, 9.5mm auction, bring and buy and dealers' stalls, and also have tape/cassette circles. Why not check out our web-site on the Pathéscope section of the Vintage Film Page at: www.pathescope.freeserve.co.uk

Membership costs £10 per year in the UK (£12 for first year includes free badge!), for Europe £16 (£19 first year), for Overseas £19 (£24 first year). (Europe & Overseas can deduct £5 if paying in pounds sterling). Send cheque or postal order (payable to Group 9.5) together with an S.A.E. to Ken Valentine, 111 Elstree Road, Bushey Heath, Herts, WD23 4EG, UK

You can buy a DVD of the film made by Group 9.5 in the 1960's "Lights Out and the Stars Appear" which explains much of the 9.5mm gauge's history and includes clips from 9.5mm printed films and shots of 9,5mm equipment, from me, Grahame Newnham for £7.95 plus 75p UK postage. Send a cheque/postal order (payable to: G.L. Newnham) to: Grahame Newnham, 22 Warren PLace, Calmore, Southampton, SO40 2SD, UK. (e-mail for overseas prices). Ask me to include a sample Group 9.5 magazine!

FRANCE

Another very active 9,5mm club who publish an excellent glossy A4 size quarterly magazine (in French of course!), and run regular film shows in the Paris area. They normally have a stall at major amateur film fairs in France and have not only arranged for the continuing supply of 9,5mm camera film but also provide (albeit expensive) 9,5mm conversions of a 16mm cine camera and projector. Check out their web-site at: FRENCH 9,5

Membership costs 40 Euros a year (plus 9 Euros for first year). Send cheque drawn on French bank (payable Cine-Club 9,5 de France), or cash to Monsieur Bernard Trembloy, 55 Rue Lafayette, 91700 Sainte-Genevieve-des-Bois, France.

NEDERLANDS

Our friends in the Nederlands still have a very keen 9,5mm membership who produce many excellent amateur films in the pioneer gauge. They also regularly publish a magazine (mostly in Dutch). Contact their secretary: Cora Bruno, Sloterweg 986, 1066 CR Amsterdam, Nederlands.

SPAIN

Our friends in Spain are renowned for their annual 9,5 Get-Together ("Neufcinquiste") at Calella each year. Contact: Santiago Marre, Raval, 25 - E-08370, Calella, Spain. or checkout their website at : www.fotofilmcalella.org

USA

Although 9,5mm was supposed to have disappeared from the USA in the early 1930's there are still a number of collectors there, some of whom are now filming on 9,5mm again! The year 2000 saw the formation of a 9,5 Group Stateside. Called "9,5 USA". you can E-mail their organiser Kevin Phillips at: cicero@gte.net or why not visit their web-site at: 9,5 USA

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Last updated 31 December 2007 .................Grahame Newnham's Web Pages .............Copyright © G.L. Newnham 2000