Kodak Photomat

OK, that is WAY cool!

That is way cool! I would love to get one!  Could you tell me who the manufacture is? I would like to try and find one .

Thanks Ralph

GTW Ralph: It is not a manufacturer but an individual that goes by his Ebay name as:

almostfamousbuilder2012

Spence: Thanks for the name.  I just did a seller search and came up with "ID not found".  I may have done some thing wrong.  Would you mind sending me a link to him.  My email is in my profile.  Thanks Ralph.

GTW Ralph: email sent

Thanks Spence!  Got it!

Ralph

I MUST have one! Can you send me the info as well bojspam@gmail.com

Is it my warped imagination, or does this model appear to have been based upon a freeway toll-booth? 

Nicole, its a pretty accurate portrayal of the old Fotomat booths. They were a drive up film purchasing/processing business that I remember from the late 60's early 70's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fotomat

Thanks Chris. I've never seen a real one, and I was just struck by the similarity to a toll-booth.

Pretty cool.  It looks like the builder used a Plasticville Turnpike Interchange as the base for this build.

Andy

Count me in also, please send the info.

Thanks!

We had one in town and they didn't look quite like that (it does resemble a toll booth).  Nicole, I'm not qualified to comment on your warped imagination.  

Don't get me wrong.  It is exceedingly cool and unique.  Great acquisition, Spence!  Enjoy!

George

Geez guys.... that looks pretty darn easy to build!  Like Nicole said, it is a toll booth with printed signs and an expanded roof.  With a few pieces of balsa wood, a dremel tool, and a color printer... you could easily make one!

Very nice building.  Did a search and the seller is almostfamousbuilderS2012.   (missing the last S)

Perfect for 'That 70's Layout'!!!!

cbojanower:

prr2818:  emails sent to both of you

In their day, those little photo booths were everywhere. Almost every big store parking lot had one.

Jim

The main structure is definitely from the Plascticville toll booth.......

Geez guys.... that looks pretty darn easy to build!  Like Nicole said, it is a toll booth with printed signs and an expanded roof.  With a few pieces of balsa wood, a dremel tool, and a color printer... you could easily make one!

 

yes if you

• have those tools, time and patience and
• access to finding those signs.

Was thinking the same thing!  Now we just need the characters........anyone make a Tommy Chong O Scale figure?

Cool find for sure!

Fotomat was not part of Eastman Kodak and Kodak sued the snot out of them for trademark infringement. I think that put them out of business.  Later some were converted to drive thru Coffee shops.

Hi Richard, I think you are right on about the trademark infringment issue.

In any case it would make a cool addition to any layout parking lot.

I think it would to safe to say that they started the whole Kiosk movment that really took off in the malls.

Many of the Photomat huts are still around, either repurposed or rotting away.  Here's a link to a Flickr group's collection of former Photomat photos:  <CLICK>

-Duncan

If you compare this model with the photos on Duncan's link (just above,) you will quickly notice that the model's roof is WAY big compared to the "body" of the hut.  Not proportional.  I also do not remember Fotomats in the 70's & 80's (in my area) saying "Kodak Film" in red letters on the hut's "wide" side (although there is a pic of one such hut in the photo grouping from Duncan's link).   Cute, but I'd pass. 

Since the judge accepted Kodak's Chapter XI reorganization plan yesterday, I see it very fitting that this would be purchased within 24hrs of that historic event.  And an excellent find.  Given that Kodak's only serious connection to film will be continuing to make the film used for movies (and that will probably soon become a thing of the past), this is really a good representation of things we all remember as kids - Fotomats, Kodak film and when pictures were on paper (also made by Kodak).  I wish I could get one. I like stuff like this - realistic, or not.  Makes the layout fun.  Congrats on a nice find and thanks for sharing.

The Kodak name was coined by George Eastman as a trade mark for his camera and it became a quasi generic term not unlike Kleenex or Xerox. Eastman Kodak was ferocious and relentless in protecting their trade mark. Today that about all they have remaining. At one time Kodak employed 60,000 people here in Rochester alone, now they have less than 6,000 and its still shrinking.

I think I'll put a Fotomat hut on my layout for old times sake.

The ebay item number for this is 281152142880. From reading descriptive blurb in listing it seems as though seller will custom make this item for prospective buyers too.