Antique Victorian early 20th or late 19th century Eastman magic 8 lantern slides

Antique Victorian early 20th or late 19th century Eastman magic 8 lantern slides showing religious scenes and religious text ( Christ on cross ). These rare and collectible slides are in there original box.

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Some age related wear. Some slides can sell for £20 plus individually without box !

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9 cm square

2 cm tall box size

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Eastman Kodak, founded by George Eastman, is known for its innovations in photography, particularly with the introduction of film and the mass production of photographic materials. While not directly credited with inventing the lantern slide itself, which predates Eastman, the company played a significant role in popularizing lantern slides by providing materials and equipment for their production and use.

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Early Lantern Slides:

The concept of projecting images using a "magic lantern" dates back to the 17th century.

Early lantern slides were hand-painted on glass.

The Langenheim brothers in Philadelphia are credited with patenting a process for producing photographic lantern slides in 1850, which involved printing images onto glass plates.

Eastman and Lantern Slides:

George Eastman's company, initially the Eastman Dry Plate Company, focused on improving and mass-producing photographic materials, including dry plates (gelatin dry plate negatives).

These dry plates were a significant advancement over the earlier wet collodion process, as they could be pre-sensitized and packaged for easier use.

While Eastman didn't invent the lantern slide itself, their dry plates and other photographic materials were essential for creating lantern slides.

Lantern slides were created by photographing a negative onto a glass plate, resulting in a positive image for projection.

These slides were used for entertainment and educational purposes, often accompanied by music and narration.

Popularization and Use:

Magic lantern shows, featuring lantern slides, became a popular form of entertainment and education from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century.

The slides were often hand-tinted to enhance their visual appeal.

Photographic exhibitions also showcased lantern slides as a form of photographic art.

Alfred Stieglitz, a prominent photographer, used and promoted lantern slides during this period.

While the magic lantern was eventually superseded by slide projectors, it remained in use until the 1950s.

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