Magic Lantern - Special production methods

Part 3.

All about magic lantern slides

SPECIAL PRODUCTION METHODS In addition to the usual ways of making lantern slides, other, often very creative ways were also devised.
Morgan's magic lantern slides.
These lantern slides were shown in movie theatres during the intermissions. Typically, slides advertising commercial products or upcoming films were shown during intermission, but these examples are less common 'mood slides'. They were produced according to Morgan's Projected Publicity method: glasses were covered with a semi-opaque paint and after drying drawings were scratched into them. The precision with which this was done suggests that a stencil or pantograph was used. The result was then coloured by hand. The plates were 3.24 x 4 inches (approximately 8 x 10 cm), the so-called American format that was commonly used in cinemas. Patent 216349 dates from May 29, 1924 and was for "Lantern slides for use having an opaque coating which can be cut through by a sharp-pointed instrument to form diagrams etc.".

Wanderer A striking set of lantern slides with text and illustrations of a poem. Square glass slides of the 8 x 8 cm format. Produced according to Morgan's Projected Publicity method.



Silhouette magic lantern slides
Even before the advent of the magic lantern, people were familiar with the use of shadow images. This idea was soon used by applying black figures to the glass slides with an opaque type of paint. The silhouettes were also cut out from black paper and clamped between two glasses.
		Painted silhouette of a flying eagle holding Punch between its talons. Contained in a wooden frame of approximately 18 x 10 cm.

	Der kleine Daumling Tom Thumb Eight magic lantern slides with black/white silhouettes. Dimensions 8 x 10 cm; label with manufacturer's name: Ludwich Bredigkeit, Universum Bildband, Berlin SW 11, Saarlandstrasse 27.