Founded in 1848 by Auguste Lapierre, one of the largest producers of magic lanterns. In 1902 the company was transformed into Lapierre Frères et Cie, a partnership between Edouard Lapierre and his two sons Maurice and René. In 1908, the company was obliged to amalgamate with the photographic manufacturer Jules Demaria. In 1921, René Lapierre founded a new company that produced projectors until the 1960s.