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trading cards 19-photomaton    Patent number: BG patent 318092.

Anatol Marco Josepho, of Russian descent, invented the photo-cabin.

The first one was installed in New York in 1924.

A French manufacturer came up with a cabin that produced instant photos in the 20s and called it the "Photomaton".

These Photomaton cabins began to appear at bus and train stations in big cities all over France. These stations are still the main home to these machines.

A basic flash system was added to the machines in 1950s and the 1970s saw the introduction of colour photos.

There's an urban legend that speaks of dwarves who work inside a miniature laboratory in photo cabins.

The cabins of the digital era have lost all their charm. That said, a lot of really interesting stuff still goes on behind the pulled curtains.

It's a technological species in danger of extinction.