Magic lantern - Supplied by Williams, Brown and Earle.

Magic Lanterns, supplied by
Williams, Brown and Earle.

Williams, Brown and Earl was an American optical instrument and laboratory supply firm formed by H.S. Williams and N.H. Brown at 918 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their extensive catalogue included laboratory instruments and accessories, microscopes, binoculars, moving picture apparatus and a full range of magic lanterns, including reflecting lanterns, projection microscopes, a simple postcard projector and scientific lanterns. It is not likely that the made their magic lanterns themselves. They probably only supplied the magic lanterns and their other articles.


		This model is marked "Williams, Brown, and Earle - Philadelphia" and measures c. 20 inches long and c. 10 inches high (51 x 25,5 cm). It was originally meant to be used with an oil or kerosene lamp.
The projection lens is marked "Darlot, Paris", a company that manufactured many lenses for magic lanterns in the late 1800's. The lens is a screw-in type and is removable to clean the optics. The lens tube is made of brass and is provided with a focusing gear that turns smoothly. The lens also has a leather and velvet lens cap. The projection lens mounts in a larger chrome-plated focusing tube that slides over the slightly-smaller inner tube to adjust coarse focus, and the gear-driven focus track on the lens allows for finer focus. The mounting ring for the lens matches the lens and is polished brass, which is in turn mounted on a milled round piece of mahogany. The body of the lantern is made of blue japanned tin. The rear of the projector opens to add/adjust an oil lantern or other light source.


This solid magic lantern is 12 3/4" high, 20" long, 6.38" wide (c. 32.5 x 51 x 16 cm). The body is finished with a hammer grey enamel. The bellows are adjustable from 2 1/2" to 8 1/2" (6,35 to .21,6 cm). The rectangular chimney hinges backwards.
		Episcope for the projection of opaque images like postcards. The wooden base is provided with a small shield showing name and address of the manufacturer/supplier.
The lantern measures 16" high x 13" wide x 15" deep to end of lens system (40.5 x 33 x 38 cm).

		Sizes of this beautiful magic lantern c. 52 x 13 x 28 cm. The lid of the wooden box (c. 56 x 18 x 34 cm ) wears an instruction how to avoid breaking of the condensing lenses. With wooden slide carrier.
Williams, Brown and Earle magic lantern with bellows and a very rare sloping chimney.

Very large and solid magic lantern in a wooden case that measures 21" x 7" x 13 1/2" (53.3 x 17.8 x 34.3 cm). Those magic lanterns were sold to religious and social organisations like The Band of Hope and Masonic Lodges.

Trade marks on a shield on the lantern and on the tube of the brass projection lens system.