The above image shows a film can that was produced for the Berlin-based branch of the French company Eclipse. The lid of the can features the company‘s name circling around the center, which was intended for a label. The name is embossed and reads: „Eclipse“ Kinematographen und Films-Fabrik. Urban Trading Company, Berlin.. This resembles the spelling usually used by Eclipse in advertisements published from 1907 to the end of 1912.¹ Urban Trading Co. was later dropped by the German branch of Eclipse, indicating that the can was produced prior to 1913.

The can itself has a diameter of 140 mm and a height of 45 mm, making it suitable for a shorter reel. Since the original label seems to be missing, or the film can never had one in the first place, the original film that was stored in it cannot be determined.
In its current state, the can has a handwritten label. This label is heavily damaged but reads Welt – Film, which might be a reference to the production company, while the title itself appears as Fur[chtba]re Brandkatastrophe. The side of the can has two additional labels. The lower one repeats the title Furchtb… while the second one is partially pasted over the first. This suggests that the can was later intended for, or actually reused for, the storage of different film material.

On the bottom of the can, there is an embossing of the producer that reads ERSON WERKE Berlin W. This is a references the company Berliner Blechemballage-Fabrik Gerson G.m.b.H., also known as Gerson-Werke. Founded in 1878, this company specialised in the production of tin cans and other metal-based products.²

Thoughts

Compared to the can previously shown, this example is rather plain. It is a more pragmatic approach to packaging, which might indicate a later production date compared to the one used by Vitagraph Company, as well as a more profit-oriented design.

copyright

The images used are from a reproductions made by myself, the original creator of the film can is unknown.

sources

The film trade journal is available at Internet Archive (Moving Picture World, Ciné-Journal).