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The Brownie Camera-3

   The last remaining theory seems the most plausible. It suggests that the name, as well as the illustrations which decorated Brownie camera boxes, were taken from the children's story imps which had already been popularized by Palmer Cox. Brownies had been known for generations, by those of Scottish ancestry, as imps of a playful nature. As Palmer Cox put it: 'Brownies, like fairies and goblins, are imaginary little sprits, who are supposed to delight in harmless pranks and helpful deeds.' 24 Although stories had previously been written about the Brownies, when Cox began writing about them he created their appearance from his own imagination, there being no illustrations of them prior to that time. 25 The lack of illustrations of Brownies (fig.6) may have had something to do with the fact that as Cox put it, 'they work and sport while weary households sleep, and never allow themselves to be seen by mortal eyes.' 26 Cox's stories about Brownies, written for St. Nicholas Magazine, led to a series of books which, in the number of sequels written, may even the 'Frankenstein' movie series of the 1930s and 40s, or the 'Planet of the Apes' series of more recent times. The Brownie series ran on into the early 1900s, and took the little characters to the far corners of the world. 27
   Commercialism (fig.7) rode the wave of Brownie popularity in the 1890s, as would be expected. Montgomery Ward & Co.'s 1895 catalogue listed Columbian Brownie Stamps, Silver Plated Brownie Pins, and Brownie Band Ten Pins. Brownies appeared in magazine advertisements for horse-shoe nails 28, bicycles 29, underwear 30, hooks and eyes 31,and talking machines (record players). 32 Brownies were, indeed, used to advertise photographic products before Kodak's introduction of its camera bearing the Brownie name. Thus, Brownies took a hand in advertising Rochester Optical Co. (fig.8) products in 1889 33, Harvard Photo Outfits in 1890 34, and Gayton A. Douglas & Co.'s photographic supplies in the same year. 35 Little wonder, then, that George Eastman seized on these popular little characters as a vehicle for a camera which he hoped to market especially to children. Among the most appealing of Kodak advertisements (fig.9) are those which show the little imps cavorting on and about an 'improved' Brownie camera. 36 		   When Eastman introduced his first camera especially intended for children he provided for its success by making it relatively inexpensive, sturdy and simple by associating it with popular children's-story characters (fig.10), and also by supporting it with saturation advertising. Kodak announced: 'Full page Brownie advertisements have been ordered in all of the leading ten cent magazines for June.' 37 Later advertisements were planned for the Woman's Home Companion and the Ladies Home Journal. 38 In June 1900, the magazines carrying Brownie advertising reached a combined circulation of 6,000,000. 39 'Liberal quantities' of Brownie circulars were offered to dealers, large quantities of Brownie sample prints were distributed, and the Brownie Camera Club of America was announced, dealers having been provided with printed Brownie Camera Club Constitutions. 40 The club's purpose was to 'increase the interest of American Boys and Girls in matter pertaining to photography.' 41 (Thirteen-year-old Franklin Putnam of Rochester, New York, became Brownie Camera Club Member No. 142.) 42
   The Brownie camera was a hit with the public, almost from the first. While Kodak did not release statistics on its Brownie sales, certain facts may be uncovered from a careful examination of the KODAK TRADE CIRCULAR issues. The projection made in May, 1900 43, 'in 1900 the Brownie camera will do for other hundreds of thousands what the Pocket Kodak did in '95 and '96, but on a still larger scale', gives an indication on Kodak's expectations. The statement, 'the Brownie cameras already sold have made more than 100,000 film customers', made less than a year after the camera's introduction 44, also supports the company's projection. (Speaking of Brownie users as 'film customers' was characteristic of George Eastman's view that the camera was essentially a vehicle for Kodak's true profit and growth source, the film). 45 'There are city dealers who have sold thousands of Brownie cameras. There are country dealers who have sold hundred 46, Kodak noted citing also the example of one dealer in the small town of Everett, Wash., who managed, with the aid of a pleasant window display, to sell 23 Brownies in one week. 47

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