Summary

Colour glass lantern slide of photographs of two male heads. Made by Alex. Gunn & Sons, Melbourne, Victoria, circa 1930s-1940s.

One of a set of over 420 lantern slides, used by lecturer Walter S. Binks, a popular psychology and vocational guidance lecturer based in Melbourne, Victoria. Binks gave lectures throughout Australia in the 1930s and 1940s. Binks advertised his lectures as associated with the Australasian Opportunity League or Universal Opportunity League. Binks used the slides to suggest relationships between physiognomy and personality.

Binks reproduced these two portraits in his book, The Right Vocation (Melbourne, circa 1926). These were presented as typical examples of the 'vital type'. The man on the left is Sir George Reid, Premier of New South Wales, 1894-199, and Prime Minister of Australia, 1904-5. The man on the right is Sir John Forrest, explorer, Premier of Western Australia, 1890-1901 and thereafter a Federal politician.

Purchased by the donor at an opportunity shop. The collection was stored in three wooden trays (two compartments in each tray), and 95 slides stored separately. Many of the slides were produced in Melbourne from images and cuttings presumably supplied by Binks.

Description of Content

A photographic image of a man with grey hair, a moustache and a beard next to a picture of a man also in a suit with grey hair, a moustache and wearing a monocle.

Physical Description

Standard format (3 1/4 x 3 1/4 inch square) colour lantern slide.

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