Item ST 42233 Book - 'A Mere Phantom', 'The Magic Lantern', Houlston & Sons, 1877

Summary

Book entitled 'The Magic Lantern: How to Buy and How to Use it, Also How to Raise a Ghost'. It is a practical guide to the magic lantern and its accessories. It covers such topics as the use and history of the magic lantern, types and preparation of illuminants and the various lantern slides available.

The author of the book is not named, however, it was published by the family business of Houlston & Sons, Paternoster Square, London.

This book is part of the Francis Collection of pre-cinematic apparatus and ephemera, acquired by the Australian and Victorian Governments in 1975. David Francis was the curator of the National Film and Sound Archive of the British Film Institute as well as being a co-founder of the Museum of the Moving Image in London, which was operational between 1988 and 1999.

Description of Content

A practical guide to the magic lantern and its accessories. It covers such topics as the use and history of the magic lantern, types and preparation of illuminants and the various lantern slides available.

Physical Description

Book with board covers, consisting of 96 pages. The cover features an image of what appears to be an exotic looking magician using a magic lantern. An imp is shown as an assistant.