Magic lantern - Magic lantern - Robinson Crusoe part 2.

Robinson Crusoe
part 2

The English manufacturer/wholesaler of an impressive amount of magic lantern slide sets John Theobald (1858-1926) produced no less then three sets magic lantern slides on the story of Robinson Crusoe, the first series, the second series, and the third series.
A set of twelve square 3.25 inch slides made by Theobald & Co. as 'Robinson Crusoe, first series'. All of them have insets; perhaps the number of slides was to small to tell the entire story.






1. I'm going to relate you a story, my dears; / 'Tis about a man, Robinson Crusoe. 2. He saw to his joy that the ship was quite whole, / No timber within her had started. 3. He found that the island on which he was thrown / No tenants possessed, or a wild beast. 4. He found that his coasts all abounded with fish, / As well as some very fine turtles. 5. But though blest with comforts, content he was not, / His mind continually turning. 6. One day as he rambled about on the strand, / With peace in his mind most charming. 7. Once he was quite startled on passing a cave, / From which something like groans proceeded. 8. One morning a wreck on the rocks he espied, / To which he made off, and no wonder. 9. And now it was that by an illness God taught / Poor Crusoe to aim at things holy. 10. These fellows, it seemed, had captured a host / Of men, in some very great battle. 11. The fellow, as soon as he heard the loud sound, / That came from the musket of Crusoe. 12. They lived thus together for many long years, / Till one year a vessel they sighted.

A set of twelve square 3.25 inch slides made by Theobald & Co. as 'Robinson Crusoe, second series'. Some of the slides of this set have also insets.


1. Crusoe announcing to his father that he wants to go to sea. 2. A raft on which to convey his treasures to the shore.		3. He set up a cross on the sea shore.


4. Crusoe at dinner. 5. It was several weeks before he got his boat into anything like shape.		6. Crusoe starts back in astonishment.

7. A captive prisoner who throws himself at Robinson's feet.	8. Friday was attentive and anxious to learn.	9. The two men became the firmest of friends.

10. The beach strewn with boxes.	11. A ship in sight!	12. He clasps the captain in his arms.

And this is Theobald & Co's set 'Robinson Crusoe, third series'. Fortunately the idea to insert small pictures is left now.

No 1. Rob with truncheon, feels happier, snoozing up tree.	No 2. Rob a-rafting.	No 3. Rob's got the goat.

No 4. Rob & dog, hunting turtle eggs, penguins looking on.	No 5. Rob at work on the boat.	No 6. Rob in new outfit, discovers foot prints in the sand.

No 7. Rob confronts devil in cave.	No 8. Rob back at wreck.	No 9. Rob has troubled night.

No 10. Rob and friend prepare dinner.	No 11. Rob finds a friend.	No 12. Rob spies ship, lights signal fire.
	According to the text on the cardboard box this is patently obvious box of a set of 12 square magic lantern slides made by Theobald & Co. in their famous 'All British T Series', Set 150, Series 3. Rather confusing, for the image at the lid is taken from slide nr. 9 from Series 2. Also confusing are the titles of the slides # 10 and # 11. Rob finds a friend after preparing dinner with him.

		Finally this set of images was also published as a sheet with 4 x 3 images. The twelve illustrated scenes were transfer printed on paper by Theobald & Company, London. Lanternists had to cut the transfers into squares and position each on a pieces of glass to form a magic lantern slide. Often a second glass was added as a cover glass.


The same series of pictures was also offered as a set of twelve magic lantern slides mounted in wooden frames, each one with a green paper label, marked 'PATENT ENAMEL SLIDES FOR THE MAGIC LANTERN' and the name of the manufacturer J. Barnard and Son, Makers, London. The slides measure 7" x 4" (18 x 10 cm) and are numbered 1 - 12.



Four beautiful magic lantern slides mounted in a wooden frame. The slides are numbered 1, 3, 5 and 8 and probably form part of a set of eight.

		This wonderful set of twelve magic lantern slides are in mahogany frames; each one stamped with the name of the maker " Millikin & Lawley 165 Strand, London" They measure 7 x 4 inches (18 x 10 cm) approx.


One of more glass strips depicting the Robinson-story, made by Ernst Plank.

	Twelve square 3.25" magic lantern slides, probably English. Captions printed on small labels at the bottom or edge of the slides.

The story of Robinson Crusoe is set nr 611 of the well-known Butchers Primus Junior Lecturers Series. The same pictures were also published in the form of two oblong slides.

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