thumb|An electrotachyscope, [[Scientific American, 16 November 1889, p. 303]]
The (from German: 'Electrical Quick-Viewer') or Electrotachyscope is an early motion picture system developed by chronophotographer Ottomar Anschütz between 1886 and 1894. He made at least seven different versions of the machine, including a projector, a peep-box viewer and several versions with illuminated glass photographs on a rotating wheel viewed on a wide milk glass screen by up to seven people at the same time. The system apparently influenced the development of the Kinetoscope film viewer by Edison's company (publicly introduced in 1894), and most of the subjects of the first Kinetoscope presentations resembled those of the Electrotachyscope.
History
Before working on chronophotography and motion pictures, Anschütz had already received much acclaim for his instantaneous pictures of flying storks in 1884.
In 1885, Anschütz made his first chronophotographs of horses, sponsored by the Prussian minister of Culture. Initially, he used 12 cameras, later on 24.
In 1888, Anschütz moved to a studio at Charlottenstr. 59 in Berlin, where frequent demonstrations of Schnellsehers took place to at least 1900 (and less frequently until years later).
Before Siemens & Halske were involved, Anschütz had also developed an automated cylindrical Schnellseher. It had six milk glass screens, each showing a different scene. This Elektro-tachyscope was shown to paying spectators in Vienna in November 1890, and probably in Brussels in 1891.
In 1893, the Edison Manufacturing Company started the wide distribution of their long-awaited Kinetoscope, which had been in slow development since 1888. After initial experiments based on phonograph cylinders, they had shortly worked on a design based on the Schnellseher automat.
On 6 November 1894, Anschütz patented a projector with two intermittently rotating large disks and continuous light. On 25, 29 and 30 November 1894, he introduced his new device with two linked discs projecting the moving images on a screen in the darkened Grand Auditorium of a Post Office Building in Berlin. From 22 February to 30 March 1895 commercial 1,5-hour program of 40 different scenes was screened for audiences of 300 people at the old Reichstag and received around 4,000 visitors.
In 1895, other motion picture pioneers entered the market of motion pictures projected on large screens, including Max and Emil Skladanowsky with their Bioscop, and Auguste and Louis Lumière with their cinematograph. Their films were much longer than the Schnellseher picture loops and after 1895 Anschütz' career in motion pictures was diminished to the sales of home model Tachyscopes at his studio.
Demonstrations, exhibitions and screenings
Inventory of known presentations of Schnellsehers
| Belgium, Brussels
| wheel
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| photographic exhibition
| Italy (Florence)
| wheel
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| C. B. Richards & Son, regular screenings
| United States (New York City, 3 East 14 Street)
| wheel
| photographic supply store customers?
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| Königlichen Kriegsakademie, Anschütz exhibition
| German Empire (Berlin, Dorotheenstraße)
| wheel
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| Hunting, Fishing and Sports Exhibition
| German Empire (Kassel)
| wheel
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| Exhibition for Photo Dealers and Manufacturers
| United States (Boston)
| wheel
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| photography exhibition
| Russian Empire (Saint Petersburg)
| wheel
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| ?
| United States (Philadelphia)
| wheel
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| Photographic Association, introduction automat + "Sprechende Porträt"
| German Empire (Berlin)
| automat + wheel?
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| private introduction of "Sprechende Porträt"
| German Empire (Berlin)
| wheel
| Wilhelm II's family
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| k. k. Graphischer Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt, introduction
| Austria-Hungary (Vienna, Westbahnstrasse 25)
| cylinder
| Josef Maria Eder and invited audience
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| G. v. d. Lippe, Elektro-Tachyskop, daily commercial exhibition (10 am – 8 pm)
| Austria-Hungary (Vienna, Parkring 2)
| cylinder
| paying customers (30 kreuzer)
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| ?
| German Empire, (Weimar)
| cylinder
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| Panorama International, daily demonstration Elektro-tachyskop
| Hungary (Budapest, Andrässystraße I5)
| cylinder?
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| Elektrotechnischen Messe, automat introduction
| German Empire (Frankfurt)
| automat
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| Elektrotechnischen Messe, daily exhibition (10 am – 9 pm)
| German Empire (Frankfurt, Hall for Science and Medicine)
| automat
| 14,858 paid viewings (10 pfennig) until 25 August, over 17.000 by 31 August
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| international photography exhibition
| Belgium (Brussels)
| cylinder?
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| photography exhibition
| The Netherlands (Amsterdam)
| automat
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| Stanislaw Jurkowski exhibition
| Poland (Warsaw)
| automat
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| several exhibitions
| German Empire (Berlin)
| automat
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| Ausstellungspark, daily exhibition
| German Empire (Berlin, Stadtbahnbogen 21]
| automat
| 16,618 paying customers in July and 17,271 in August
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| The Crystal Palace, permanent installation of two to twelve machines
| United Kingdom (London, The Crystal Palace)
| automat
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| International Exposition of Photography, two machines installed
| France (Paris)
| automat
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| Eden Musée, five machines installed
| United States (New York City, 23rd Street)
| automat
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| Koster and Bial's Music Hall, one machine installed
| United States (New York City, 34th Street and Broadway)
| automat
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| Am. Inst. Dur. Prdkts, twelve machines installed
| United States (New York City)
| automat
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| Two machines installed
| United States (Boston)
| automat
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| Electric Wonder exhibition, Twelve machines
| United Kingdom (London, 425 Strand, later at various Charing Cross addresses)
| automat
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| Hohenzollern Gallery
| German Empire (Berlin, Hohenzollern Gallery)
| automat
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| Berlin Zoo, four machines
| German Empire (Berlin, Zoologischer Garten)
| automat
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| Leipzig Garten, two machines
| German Empire (Berlin)
| automat
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| Two machines
| German Empire (Hamburg)
| automat
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