cover photo of the MLS 2001 coffee table size book
Toronto. It seems appropriate to put Dr Robert Wilson’s book review on our site as the Magic Lantern Society is holding its “21st International Convention” here in Toronto at the Black Creek Pioneer Village this April 24-26th.
I bought my copy of the Encyclopaedia of the Magic Lantern from Bob when it was first issued (cover shown at left complete with some glare from my den light). It was my second involvement with a magic lantern – years ago, my father picked me up a toy Magic Lantern with a few painted slides in a small painted wooden case.
Bob’s article, published in issue 27-2 of our journal, begins, “The Magic Lantern Society, based in England, is a society devoted to the history and the development of the magic lantern and lantern slides. Over the years they have published a number of books, often in conjunction with their major conventions.
“They recently [2001] added one more publication to their reference resource books – the Encyclopaedia of the Magic Lantern. It is their most impressive and ambitious book to date and was scheduled for release to celebrate their society’s 25th anniversary and their 2001 convention.
“The encyclopaedia was a huge undertaking by (primarily) volunteers. Editors best describe the book as: ‘. . . an attempt to provide a comprehensive reference source to the history, technology, uses and aesthetics of the optical lantern in its numerous forms. The alphabetical entries cover a wide range of subjects: inventors and patentees, makers and merchants, showmen, writers and lecturers; the varied styles and shapes of lanterns, with all their strange and exotic names; the genres and mechanisms of slides; organizations which used lanterns for education, propaganda or religious persuasion; collectors and museums.’
“The bulk of the book is the encyclopaedia, with entries arranged alphabetically from Abraham to Zambra. Entries range from a single line, or a SEE reference, to essays covering two pages. Forty people contributed entries, and each entry has the writer identified. Included in the contributors is M. Lindsay Lambert of Ottawa who was our speaker at the May 2001 meeting where he presented a Magic Lantern Show.
“The entries cover the history of the projected image from the mid-fifteenth century (Athanasius Kircher) to today (Jack Judson and his Magic Lantern Castle). Many entries contain a reference to information sources so the reader can refer to the original source.”…
PHSC members read all of Dr Wilson’s review in the issue 27-2 pdf file on the free members-only DVD/memory stick. To join or renew, just follow ‘Membership’ above and at right. Email any membership questions to member@phsc.ca.
