Mckay Filmmaking Appraisal

Amateur Movie Making by Herbert C. McKay

This is a vintage hardcover book titled 'Amateur Movie Making', likely published in the late 1920s or early 1930s (circa 1928). The book features a dark brown pebbled faux-leather or cloth binding with deep blind-stamped decorations. The front cover is prominently embossed with the title at the top, a central octagonal graphic depicting a vintage motion picture camera on a tripod, and a bottom rectangular plaque stating: 'USED AS A SUPPLEMENTARY TEXT IN NEW YORK INSTITUTE OF PHOTOGRAPHY'. The overall construction suggests a durable, professional-grade instructional manual. Structurally, the book shows signs of age-related wear including softening and fraying at the corners and spine ends. There is visible surface soiling and light spotting on the cover material, consistent with its age and use as a reference text. A slight vertical bow is present in the front board. The blind stamping remains relatively crisp, indicating high-quality production for a technical manual of its era. This particular edition is significant due to its association with the prestigious New York Institute of Photography, adding provenance to its educational history in the field of early cinematography.