Magic lantern - Cristie's old organ. Part 1.

Christie's old Organ.
Some Life Model slide sets after the book of Mrs O.F. Walton.
Part 1.

	Amy Catherine Walton, better known as Mrs O. F. Walton, was a British author of Christian children's books. She was born Amy Catherine Deck on 9 August 1849 as a daughter of the vicar of St Stephen's Church in Hull, and died in Kent in 1939. After her marriage with her father's curate Octavius Frank Walton, she wrote her books using her husband's name. Her first book, 'My Mates And I', was written in 1870 but not published until 1873. In 1874 came one of her most famous books, 'Christie's Old Organ', which tells the story of orphaned Christie and his friend, the aged organ-grinder Treffy. Although she wrote many more books, it is 'A Peep Behind the Scenes', 'The story of Rosalie', about a child who works in a travelling theatre, and 'Christie's Old Organ' that have remained well known, continuing to be published in many languages, including Dutch (Christoffels oude orgel). In 1898 she wrote 'Christie, The King's Servant' which is a sequel to 'Christie's Old Organ'.
Summary: The young boy Christie has no family. He is homeless and has to live on the streets. When him is given a roof over his head by Old Treffy, the organ grinder he is very glad, but Treffy is old and sick and Christie is worried about him. All that Treffy wants is to have peace in his heart and a home of his own and that is what Christie wants too. Christie is going out with the organ to earn some money. One day a little girl called Mabel hears Christie's organ playing just outside her window. She becomes Christie's friend and tells him about another home you can go to if you love the Lord Jesus.
Several magic lantern slide versions are known of this tear jerking story. The shows were often brought as a 'Service of Song'. Between the projected slides and the accompanying texts the audience was supposed to sing a lot of well known Christian songs, like 'Mother's Last Words' and 'Go and tell Jesus'. To make this easier often slides provided with the words of these hymns were projected between the slides that depicted the story. After a short spoken introduction by the reverent the audience was asked to sing the song 'Home Sweet Home', because that 'was Old Treffy's favourite'.

Christie's old organ. Maker unknown. Possibly made by G.M. Mason, about 30 square slides measuring 8.2 x 8.2 cm.
		??

No one took much notice of old Treffy.	A boy crouched outside the door.	Christie saw the old man on the floor.

Old Treffy comes home chilled with the cold.	Christie going out with the organ.	Christie went further out of the town.

She gave the four snowdrops to Christie.	Christie brings the doctor to see Treffy.	'Christie , boy, what did the doctor say ?'

Mabel took hold of the handle of the organ.	'Heaven's up there' said little Mabel.	??

??	??	Mabel put the snowdrops into his hands.

The clergyman talked to Treffy.	Christie gave the clergyman some snowdrops.	'Here are my snowdrops' cried Mabel.

Mabel turned the organ.	Treffy comforted Christie.	'Turn her, Christie' said Treffey.


Christie was fast asleep.	The clergyman laid his hand on Christie.	Christie rested under a wall.

Christie felt very much alone.	The clergyman read a letter to Christie.	Christie entered the old court.
Christie's old organ. This set is clearly made by York & Son, England (trade mark in the left top corner of the slides), and consists of 24 slides that tell the story and some 17 slides that show the words of the hymns. Square slides measuring 8.2 x 8.2 cm. The slides are hand tinted.

1. Introduction	6. Treffy's last out	7. Treffy low spirited

8. Christie's first out	9. First visit to Mabel's	11. Christie tells Treffy only a month


12. Mabel learns to play	13. Mabel points to Heaven	14. Christie outside Mission Hall


17. Mabel sends flowers to Treffy	18. Minister visits old Treffy	21. Christie alone
Christie's old organ. This set of 25 magic lantern slides uses the same images from photographed life models as the set above in their original state, so black and white and untinted. It is uncertain whether this set was also published by York & Son, or by another manufacturer, what happened regularly in those days. Anyway York's well-known trade mark is not present at these slides
		The images on these slides seem to be round, but the reverse of some slides reveal clearly that they are in fact square like the slides above and that the circular cut out is made by means of a paper slide mat. This has been done because many magic lanterns provided with a less good objective often projected the corners of the slides out of focus.












This series contains a 'Vision effect' for which the slides # 20 and # 21 have to be used. By using a double magic lantern, a so called biunial, the vision of heaven was projected over the projected slide that shows Christie and the dying Treffy. Changing the scenes fluently intensified the effect quite a lot. See also: Dissolving Views.


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