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A Collection of Antique Magic Lantern Slides and Shadowgraphy Plates in a Fitted Wooden Storage Chest

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Start price: £20

Estimated price: £20 - £30

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Description

A collection of antique magic lantern slides and optical media housed in a stained wooden storage chest. The wooden box features metal hardware, including a front latch and rear hinges, and an interior configured with vertical grooved dividers for slide organisation.

The collection includes a variety of glass formats, notably several panoramic or long-format glass strips designed for horizontal movement through a projector. Subject matter includes an Orientalist desert scene featuring figures on camels and horses, and a series of brightly coloured, whimsical character figures. Also included is a transparent glass plate featuring several silhouette cut-out figures, likely intended for shadow-graphy or a Galanty Show performance.

Handwritten paper labels affixed to the interior of the box read P | Soft Gradation Panchro… and SR | Special Rapid. These terms refer to early 20th-century photographic glass plate emulsions, suggesting the chest may have originally been intended for photographic negatives or was repurposed by a photographic enthusiast. The slides are constructed of glass with decorative paper or tape borders typical of the late Victorian and Edwardian periods.


Condition report:

The wooden box is in good antique condition, showing surface wear, scuffs, and a rich patina consistent with age. The metal latch is functional but exhibits some surface oxidation. The glass slides appear largely intact. The hand-painted or chromolithographic imagery remains vibrant, though there is typical age-related dust present. Some of the decorative paper borders show minor wear or lifting at the edges.