Imagine a time when taking a selfie didn’t mean just stretching out your arm with a phone, but required a clever little mechanical gadget. This was the self-timer — a small yet incredibly useful photographer’s assistant that gave you a few seconds to get into the shot before the shutter clicked.
One of the most famous types came from Hamburg craftsman Frido Wiesenhavern. The idea struck him after meeting inventor Konrad Bernitt, who wowed crowds at fairs with his Bosco photo booths. People loved these self-portraits, and Wiesenhavern realized that if such a feature could be added to regular cameras, photographers could capture themselves and their friends without needing someone else to press the button.
In 1908, Wiesenhavern’s brother, Heinrich Klapproth, turned the idea into reality with the Effwee AutoKnips. It attached to a camera in just seconds and triggered the shutter through a fine brass hook. Advertisements described it as “absolutely safe, simple, and so handy it fits in your palm.”
For over 70 years, Effwee self-timers were trusted companions for photographers around the globe. Today, they remain charming reminders of an era when every shot was carefully prepared, and the “take photo” button didn’t work instantly.
