Magic Lantern slides were slides which were shown in “magic lanterns” (slide projectors) and they were first produced in the mid-19th century.
Before the days of TV and Computers, people enjoyed “slide shows” in the evenings.
For Percy it would have been another way to present his photographs. He would give a slide-show when friends and family visited, and make a bit of a family occasion of it.
The early slides were known as “black and white” and used shades of grey, and were made by developing the photographic emulsion on the surface of a glass plate.
The surface holding the image was protected by placing a second glass plate over the photographic emulsion.
A curved or circular (black paper) mask was often added to frame the image. The plates were held together with a black paper tape which was laboriously glued on to all four edges, by hand.
The early “lanterns” were literally that, and contained a number of candles as the light source. To project the images onto a white wall or screen required a lens.
Surprisingly large lenses were needed by modern standards. The slides were 3″ square, which is a lot larger than the 35mm square slides which became the normal size for all later popular cameras.
Candles were soon replaced by electric lamps.
The “Magic Lantern” was the start of the use of projected images. Cinematography (moving images) were developed from the idea, to become the beginning of the entertainment industry we know today.
It all started with amateur photographers like Henri and his son Percy who took photos, developed their own slides at home, popularized the technology.
The Traditional “Good Night” Slide
Percy always had a “Good Night” slide which he slipped into his slide sequences, and displayed at the end of the show.
It was produced, to our minds today very crudely, by scratching the words on to an unexposed slide plate, and then overlaying the clear lettering with coloured cellophane to provide colour.
But, just think back to the period before computers and printers capable of printing on slides. How else would you have put text onto that slide, in such vibrant colour? (OK there are tinted slides in this collection but the colour is a pale-wash, not intense or vibrant colour.)
The Colour Tinted Slides
I think that Percy or his Father may have bought these. At the time (possibly in the early 20th century). When I spent time with Percy in his Dark Room it was clear that he never possessed any colour printing equipment. Colour development was difficult to achieve and the results of doubtful quality, even in the 1950s. No doubt colour slides were very expensive indeed.
Percy’s Projectors
Dennis may have some recollection of the earlier projector(s). If he does, I hope he will give me some more information which I will add here.
Was there once also a family epidiascope?
I still have the final projector of Percy’s which I assume is the only 3″ projector which remains in the family. It is a home-made or a kit built projector ( I don’t know which), with many home made (wooden) parts. It has not been used or looked at to my knowledge for probably 40+ years. I don’t know whether the lamp works at all.
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