I did some research and found that back in the pre-digital days of the late-mid-twentieth century banks and some businesses would have a Regiscope as the designated spot for signing important documents or cashing large amount cheques. The small camera mounted on the front had a second lens on the bottom. When a photograph was taken, the document would be record in the same frame as the customer’s smiling visage. Admittedly there are significant gaps in the recorded history of these types of machine on the internet, so I may have filled in some blanks here or there with some reasonable, well-informed supposition. Definitely not a matter of just making stuff up. It’s reasonable, well-informed supposition.

Apparently this Regiscope was used as a prop and set decoration in several films. It can be seen quite prominently in the bank throughout the Al Pacino film “Dog Day Afternoon.” It was placed randomly in the background for several office scenes in the Beatles classic “Help!” Also (and most surprisingly) this very same Regiscope was in the back of the green pickup truck seen briefly driving between colosseum pillars in that one anachronistic shot during the chariot race in Charlton Heston’s “Ben-Hur.” RARE AND HARD TO FIND. Yes it works has the shutter button at the base on back. Great condition and finished has been repainted. Has a great streamline design. Used as a display in my camera collection and I see film available for sale on ebay right now.