What did people do for fun before movies?
Magic lanterns were a popular form of entertainment before the advent of moving pictures in 1895. The slides were made of glass and originally pictures were painted on the slides and projected onto the wall. With the advent of photography, slide makers were able to put pictures on the slides and they would paint colors (sepia tone) onto the image to make it more visible and exciting.
The lanterns were originally illuminated by candlelight, but the candles would only project a 2’x 2’ image. Later, the invention of the Oxy-hydrogen limelight and the mineral oil lamp allowed for the images to be projected at much larger scales and Magic Lantern shows became traveling shows. Eventually, smaller Magic Lanterns were made, and the home consumer could buy a lantern and a set of slides for home entertainment use. The Magic Lantern and slides were also used as educational tools. Educators could buy readymade sets educating about morality, health, and art history, a field in which the Magic Lantern was instrumental.
Magic Lanterns were the only form of slide projection from the 1600’s until 1895, when the Lumiere brothers invented the Cinematographe (moving picture camera), changing entertainment forever. Here at the museum, we have a Magic Lantern projector and a collection of glass slides. The collection features photos of landmarks around Northwest Ohio like Inscription Rock at Kelley’s Island, the Exchange Hotel in Perrysburg, the Administration Building at Bowling Green State University, and other Ohio landmarks. All of the slides have had color added to them. The slides were made in Bowling Green at Biery’s Quality Slides, and some date to the 1930s, which is later than most glass slides were made for the Magic Lantern.
The Magic Lantern held by the museum is a large projector that was probably used for larger audiences. The date of manufacture and manufacturer’s name are unknown, but the lantern appears to have been modified. The top has been cut off, and a light bulb has been installed on a platform of wood in order to provide more projectings power.
Resources for this post include:
The Magic Lantern Society. 18 Sept. 2007.
The Magic Lantern Caslte Museum home page. 1994. Magic Lantern Castle Museum. 18 Sept. 2007.
* Post prepared by Erin Gentry, WCHC Graduate Student Intern.
