The mystery of the 70-year-old photographs unearthed by Macfilos author William Fagan continues to create intense interest worldwide. William summed up the story in a sequel published at the end of 2019, but emails continue to flood in, and there is no doubt the quest has captured the imagination of millions.
Mystery woman, 1951 
Mystery sleuth, 2021 
Mystery camera, 1951 and 2021 
Part of William’s collection of brass lenses, many made by the Irish company Grubb
Most of the world-wide publicity has been concentrated in the visual media, but a new podcast featuring William as a collector explores the “Swiss roll” story in greater detail. It also allows William to talk about his original interest in photography and his progression to collecting cameras and lenses. Macfilos readers will enjoy listening…
The “For Keeps” series of podcasts specialises in collections of all types. This half-hour podcast, “Cameras and Mystery Photographs”, provides a fascinating insight into Williams life and his passion for photography.
Read about the Swiss Roll mystery, starting with this overview in December 2020
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Dear William,
I managed to enjoy the podcast only today. It was very interesting to listen to you as you are talking about the Swiss Roll. This adds even more emotion, humanism, thougtfulness to story. All of your words carry something like deep affection – for your old cameras, for old lenses, for the unknown couple, for your own family. I consider it a gift that you are sharing all this with us.
Best, Jörg-Peter
Thanks Jorg-Peter for your kind words. This podcast is much wider than the Swiss Roll story. It is all about my whole interest in photography and cameras which goes back for many years to my father’s time. My first article for Macfilos about 6 years ago was about my father’s camera and his photography going back to the 1930s and 40s. His camera and his photographs are much more important to me than any of my own cameras and photographs, including the Swiss Roll photos.
William
Man that was great listening, what perseverance to try and locate relatives, I think when you meet St Pete, 100 years from now, he will give you free pass, and say bring your cameras come on in and meet the folks. Thank you just a superb article.
Thanks John. I’ll mention your prediction to St Pete and maybe bring him a few nice Leicas as well. That should get me a good seat ‘up above’.
William
Great inteview, Love it.
Jean
Now you know what I sound like. Mike already knew as we have met many times. Let me know if you are coming back to Dublin in the future, Jean, so that we can meet up. We can do the Howth cliff walk and go to a seafood restaurant afterwards. My younger daughter sails in the local yacht club in Howth.
William
I was an armchair detective in the “Swiss Roll” mystery. I have just been an armchair listener to William’s podcast. I sat down in my lounge and played it through my hi-fi. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it and noted several pearls of wisdom such as to know when to stop bidding at an auction. I also took on board that his hobby of collecting Leica cameras and Irish lens is essentially fun.
I was intrigued to work out, seeing we are in lockdown, how the American interviewer seemed to be in the same room as William in Dublin. I presume this was through modern technology where he was interviewed online.
Thank you William for a most enjoyable half hour of sharing your experiences on a fascinating hobby.
Chris
Thanks Chris. The interviewer was in his mother’s apartment in Los Angeles and I was in my home in Dublin. I used a headset with a microphone and he did some editing afterwards. The sequencing worked very well and he obviously had full comprehension of what I was saying as everything seems to make sense in the final product, even the bits about my 19th Century Grubb brass lenses made here in Dublin. David Peterkofsky, the interviewer, asked me to try to be ‘non nerdy’ in my comments and responses and I did not mention any serial numbers or the like. I mentioned shutter speeds and apertures once, but I think I got away with it. This was intended to be for a general audience and, so, we naturally enough concentrated on the ‘Swiss Roll’ topic. However, describing photographs on a sound only interview is difficult, but David handled this very well. The little bit at the end about the dachshund was great fun.
I have done many interviews and presentations for radio, TV and the internet in my time, but this was one of the most professionally done and relaxing experiences I have ever had in front of a microphone, thanks to David. Also one of my daughters rang me yesterday and said “Dad you were completely ‘non nerdy’ about your cameras” and coming from her that was quite a compliment.
William