Slide Projectors

Magic Lantern Slide Projectors

Lost-in-Time Museum Introduction

Literature and the spoken word were entertainment mainstays for most adults in the late 1800’s. Music, now an everyday, everywhere, part of our lives was only heard if someone was playing an instrument or singing a tune. Live theater, either a community event or traveling show, was a limited-time production usually reserved for special occasions, such as religious holidays or summer venues. Card playing, as well as dancing, in some circles represented societal coarseness. What then was made of leisure time? We must first understand that there were not many chances for leisurely activities as this was a time where sun- up to sun-down was filled with the necessities and chores of living. We can only imagine then, the sheer thrill of a speaker coming to town, of a circus, a new installment of the latest novel, or delivery of the local newspaper.

One form of entertainment to grasp the interest of this age was the ‘magic lantern shows’. Although their existence dates to the mid-17th century, until the development of an adequate light source, such as kerosene lamps and oxygen/hydrogen lime light, their use was limited to candles or reflected sunlight. It was not until the later part of the 18th century that these marvels left academia and entered public use. Initially used by travelling entertainers, their value as an instructional tool for the general public soon became evident. Lecture content ranged from moral stories, to exploring foreign lands and wonders, to slapstick comedy. By the end of the nineteenth century, large projectors were used to project advertisements on buildings, some automatically changing slides every thirty seconds.

Reference sources used to identify the lanterns are ‘Lanterna Magica’, by Ernst Hrabalek, and noted as LM, followed by the illustration number.

Magic Lantern Slide Projector Time-Period: 1879 to mid-1920’s

The most common and affordable magic lantern was the slide projector. Many different types and sizes were available; most being produced in Germany. Without standardization and interchangeability of parts, each manufacturer determined not only the size of their lanterns, but also the size of their slides. Thus, classification descriptions such as toy lantern, parlor lantern, or exhibition lantern, were left for the individual manufacturer to decide based on their marketing focus.

Toy lanterns, an inadequate description, were small lanterns with a short focal length, using candles or a small kerosene lamp for the light source. Slide content was usually pictorial characters in educational, moral, or comical situations.

Parlor lanterns, larger than toy lanterns in size, had a longer focal length, stronger light source, and used larger slides. Slide content was usually educational in the aspects of morality, geography, science, and medicine.

Exhibition lanterns, designed for large halls and assembly areas, required a strong light source such as lime light or electric carbon arc. The focal length, image size and quality of some lanterns could rival today’s theater projection systems.

Plural lanterns (stereopticons) were constructed so that two or more lanterns could be focused on the same screen, creating a layered effect. This would allow, for example, a day lit scene to be converted into a moon lit scene by projecting a darker color over the original image.

Lantern slides were images painted or printed on glass plates. Small-lantern slides were typically rectangular and contained multiple images. Large-lantern slides would have a single image, often of a photograph, which may have been colorized. Certain lanterns could also use circular discs.

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Chromatropes, essentially small kaleidoscopes designed to fit a particular lantern, had two or more rotating glass plates held in a wooden carrier, operated by a side crank, or lever.

Moving images were possible through a combination of specially designed slides and dexterity on the part of the projectionist.

Phantasmagorias were vaudeville productions in which a hidden magic lantern was used to project an image or images upon a special curtain, fine water mist, or smoke, producing a ghostly appearance. Motion could be added to the effects, furthering the illusion of a floating ghost or apparition.

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Time-Period: 1890

Jean Schoenner, Germany

Rectangular or circular slides. LM #128

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Time-Period: ca 1900

Ernst Plank, Germany

Rectangular slides. Similar to LM #107 and LM#108

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Time-Period: 1890

Ernst Plank, Germany

Rectangular slides. LM #116

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Time-Period: 1880

Unknown manufacturer, USA origin

Handheld, rectangular slides. LM# 194

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Time-Period: ca 1880

Unknown manufacturer, USA origin

Handheld, rectangular slides. LM reference not found.

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Time-Period: ca 1900

Unknown origin

Rectangular slides. LM reference not found.

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Time-Period: 1898

Ernst Plank, Germany

Rectangular slides. LM #105

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Time-Period: 1890

Jean Schoenner, Germany

Rectangular or circular slides. LM #128

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Time-Period: 1895

Ernst Plank, Germany

Rectangular slides. LM #112

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Time-Period: 1920

Gebruder Bing, Germany

Rectangular slides. LM #59

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Time-Period:1900

Ernst Plank, Germany

Rectangular slides. LM #107

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Time-Period: ca 1900

Unknown origin

Rectangular slides. LM reference not found.

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Time-Period: dated 1880

Jean Schoenner, Germany

Circular slides. LM #134

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Time-Period: 1900

Johann Falk, Germany

Rectangular slides. LM #94

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Time-Period: ca 1900

Johann Falk, Germany

Rectangular slides. LM reference not found.

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Time-Period: dated 1879

Jean Schoenner, Germany

Rectangular slides. LM #131

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Time-Period: 1900

Ernst Plank, Germany

Rectangular slides. LM #108b

Magic Lantern Slide Projector

Time-Period: ca 1900

Unknown manufacturer, French origin

‘Brevete SGDG’ translates to ‘Patent without the Government guarantee’, which was assigned by the French Government to new inventions, similar to ‘Patent Pending’.