What is this and what's it worth???

[AJC]

I found these items under an old historical granite and stone building built in 1870. The resemble the jumbo crayola crayons, but I believe they are graphite. They measure 5/8" in diameter and vary in length up to 4". Inscribed on the side of them is "BIOGRAPH" , "GERMANY" , &  "10617".  I have been unable to find any info on them for about a year now.  Any suggestions would be appreciated. I'm new to this forum, so bear with me if my post doesn't come out right. THANKS!!! AJC

[ironlord1963]

    My Guess would be test plugs.  I know in the Concrete business you find Round plug used to test it product.  Not sure if one would need to test granite, but That was just my first Guess

[AJC]

I spoke with one of the older (mid 90's) local residence and he thought it maybe used to mark the lumber and material that was hauled to the job site buy teams of horses. He said back then the material was brought to the job sites and milled out right there at the site. I was considering posting them on ebay, but have no clue what to post for a starting price or description.     

[syl]

I believe these might have something to do with the first motion picture business, named Biograph.
www.biographcompany .com/history_home.html

[ironlord1963]

Syl you may be onto something,  They used Carbon rods on the early lighting devices for Movies,  They also used something like that for the early movie projectors.  Just another thought

[regularjoe2]

They look like carbon-arc rods , for movie projectors , to me .

Used to help a projectionist , when I was a wee lad .

Such rods were used for rather large seachlights as well (think 'movie premiers') .

What you have there are know as 'stubs' from complete rods (there were some other , much more 'salty' names for them too) .

[KC]

To see carbon arcs in use for cinema


Notation under picture on site:  This view shows a closeup of the carbon arcs at 90 degrees to each other. This primitive system produces a hot, slightly flickering light, which is projected out the front (right) of the lamphouse, towards the Edison Improved Exhibition Model Projecting Kinetoscope. Notice that the carbons can be safely adjusted using the brown control knob (left).

and another


http://www.incolor.inetnebr.com/gnelson/Edison2.html

[AJC]

So does anyone think they are worth anything??? I just seems a little funny to me to find these thing under this building. They must have been thrown under it while the construction of the building was being done??? Maybe someone was filming the construction in progress?? They definitely look like the items posted from KC!!!!

[sapphire]

I wonder if this is the same "Biograph"?   Quite the interesting history..........


"Biograph became the landmark in American filmmaking, both for its artistic merits and for its breakthrough use of flashbacks, fade-outs, and close-ups. By this time, Biograph opened up branch offices in many foreign countries, including England, France, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Audiences all over the world saw the unique and innovative Biograph movies.
Can you imagine that everything that is motion pictures was either invented, or began at Biograph"

http://www.biographcompany.com/history_home.html


Further info under the Company and Timeline headings.