Summary

Children's toy magic lantern projector, designed for domestic use with miniature glass slides. The manufacturer was probably the Lapierre family of France, a mass producer of these type of domestic lanterns. This particular style was called 'Carree'. The 'Carree' design was produced over many years after a design described by the rival maker Louis Aubert in 1854.

Only the style of the feet changed with time, becoming more ornate later in the 19th century. The cast metal decorative feet associated with this particular lantern were the last in a series and date from circa 1870. The 'Carree' was produced in nine sizes and was manufactured over a long period of time.

While the invention of the magic lantern is generally seen to be in the 17th century, its greatest popularity as an optical projector spans the late 18th Century to the early decades of the 20th Century. It was used both as a means of entertainment and education.

This lantern projector 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.

Physical Description

Enamelled tin lantern. The lantern body is square. Top of body has ornate 'balustrade' around it. Circular chimney is topped by cowl and circular carry handle. The back of lantern body has side-hinged door into illumination chamber. Chamber has single-wick spirit lamp. The sides and back of lantern are decorated with embossed circles. Front of lantern has slide carrier and lens barrel with cap. The lantern has four ornate feet. The base of the lantern body has two circular holes into illumination chamber.

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