Magic lantern - Life model sets

part 3

A rather extensive collection of beautiful life-model sets of
magic lantern slides


Go to:	part 1	part 2	part 3	part 4	part 5	part 6	part 7	part 8	part 9	part 10

A Rill from the Town Pump. Set of 10 square magic lantern slides made by Walter Tyler, England, c. 1890). A rather strange story about a rather self-satisfied water pump that is talking through its nose. From the reading: The title of Town Treasurer is rightfully mine, as guardian of the best treasure that the town has. The Overseers of the Poor ought to make me their chairman, since I provide bountifully for the pauper, without expense to him that pays taxes. I am at the head of the Fire Department, and one of the physicians of the Board of Health. As a keeper of the peace, all water drinkers will confess me equal to the Constable. I perform some of the duties of the Town Clerk, by promulgating public notices, when they are pasted on my front. To speak within bounds, I am the chief person of the municipality, and exhibit, moreover, an admirable pattern to my brother officers, by the cool steady, upright, downright, and impartial discharge of my business, and the constancy with which I stand to my post.
		1. The Town Pump talking through its nose.

2. I perform some of the duties of Town Clerk.	3. A hot day gentlemen.	4. Welcome, most rubicund sir.

5. Who next?	6. This elderly gentleman.	7. What! he limps by without so much as thanking me.

8. Here comes a pretty young girl of my acquaintance.	9. There it is, full to the brim.	10. 'Success to the Town Pump'
Little Jim, the collier boy A set of 6 life model slides made by York & Son, ca 1885, after the poem 'Little Jim' by Edward Farmer.
The cottage was a thatch'd one, The outside old and mean, Yet everything within that cot Was wondrous neat and clean.	The night was dark and stormy, The wind was howling wild; A patient mother knelt beside The death bed of her child.	A little worn-out creature— His once bright eyes grown dim, It was a collier's only child— They called him Little Jim.


1. The Cottage was a thatched one	2. With hands uplifted, see, she kneels	3. With gentle, trembling haste, she held


4. The Cottage door was opened	5. He knew that all was over	6. His quivering lips gave token
The signal box. Life model set of six slides made by York & Son, London, c. 1885. Like most sets at the time the set was published in a cheap black and white version and a more expensive coloured version. Below the complete set in black and white and two samples from the coloured version.

1. I was on at the Box down yonder.	2. I kissed our Sleeping Child.	3. I lifted him up, and he kissed his little hand.

4. What shall I do? Oh, Heaven!	5. That voice, Oh, merciful Heaven! 'tis the Child's.	6. She leapt on the line and saved him.

A splendid magic lantern tale of duty after George R. Sims' story 'In the signal box, a station master's story' about a signal man who had to make the dreadful decision to either save the life of his little son playing on the railway track or stop two express trains colliding head-on. He opted the second option. Fortunately there is a happy ending: a lady leaped on the line and seized the boy in time, saving his life.

In the signal box Another set of magic lantern slides based on George R. Sims' poem about the railwayman facing a terrible dilemma. This version was made by Bamforth & Co., circa 1890. It consists of 9 square slides. Possibly Bamforth finally found it a bit 'thin' to describe this dramatic story with only 9 slides for they later came up with a new version consisting of no less than 27 slides.


1. Yes, it's a quiet station, but it suits me well enough	2. Then I thought of the lives in peril and what might have been their fate	3. That night in our little cottage, as I kissed our sleeping child

4. So she settled to leave me Johnny, and then she could turn the key	5. I lifted him up to mammy, and he kissed his little hand	6. It was all in one awful moment -- I saw that the boy was lost


7. I turned the mail to the centre, and by it flew with a roar	8. That voice! O merciful Heaven! 'tis the child's, and he calls my name	9. And she'd leapt on the line and saved him just as the mail dashed thro'

Ora pro nobis. Life model set of eight slides made by Bamforth & Co., c. 1895, after "Ora Pro Nobis" (1889), a Victorian parlour song. Lyrics by A. Horspool, music by Marie Piccolomini (real name, Théodore Henri Pontet).

1. Introduction with title.	2. Into the church the folk had gone / Leaving the orphan child alone.

3. Tattered and so forlorn was she / They crossed themselves as they passed.	4. Ora Pro Nobis. Ora Pro Nobis.

5. Over the grave where her mother lay / Clasping her hands as she knelt to pray.	6. Out of the church the people came / Starting aghast! as the sombre flame.

7. For while they prayed the angels had come / And taken the soul of the orphan home.	8. Ora Pro Nobis. Ora Pro Nobis.
Sometimes slide #4 was repeated after slide #6. Ora pro nobis. Ora pro nobis.

The new Kingdom. Life model set of 7 slides with one additional effect slide made by Bamforth & Co., c. 1895, after the song 'The new Kingdom', Berthold Tours (composer) and Mary Mark Lemon (lyricist).

1. Intro.: Two little friendless children.	2. She would tell him a wonderful story she had heard of a Kingdom called Home.	3. Roses that cost not a penny, grew in a garden fair.

4. They wished that a stranger would come.	5. One night when the snow was falling, he came for the old sweet tale.	6. To show her the beautiful pathway.

7. That led to the Kingdom called Home.	Slide #6a was superimposed on slide #6 to obtain the effect of the appearing angel.	6. With effect.
		6. With effect.
	The set appears to have been available in two versions, one for a single lantern, with the effects combined into single slides, and the other with separate effects for use with a double lantern.
Ye that are weary The English company Bamforth & Co. made this set of 9 magic lantern slides around 1900. A weaver is so very tired that he falls asleep while working. In his dreams he sees Jesus and an Angel and remembers the words 'Come unto me and I will give you rest'.


1. Title, Ye that are weary	2. The weaver sat at his frame by the window that looked to the west	3. He breathed a weary sigh, and looked to the setting sun

4. And wayworn travellers paused to hear	5. The weaver sat at his frame and the wakeful stars look'd down	6. And in slumber softly sighed the sigh of a happy dream


7. The weaver sat at his frame when the morning sun was high	8. For an angel had come on silent wing	9. Come unto Me, and I will give you rest
		More life models......