Double Dissolving Balopticon
Toronto. Photography collectors are a gregarious bunch. A subset collects projectors, from the so called magic lanterns which amuse and educate with special slides, to more modern apparatus from last century.
One such collector was the late Dr Robert Wilson. Bob was especially interested in Stereo. He had the rare ability to ‘free scan’ stereo images with his eyes alone. In issue 15-1 his article titled, “Dissolving and Stereoscopic Lantern Projectors” reviews a sub category of projectors which use a dissolve device to smoothly move from one slide to another.
His article begins, “During the early 1900’s a large number of companies sold lantern slide projectors. Dissolving projectors were featured by many of these companies and provided the ability to dissolve one slide into the next.
“As one catalog put it, the dissolving outfit was employed “to avoid the eyestrain and disagreeable affect produced by the alternate darkening and lighting of the screen, together with the ‘racing’ of the slides across the screen in changing”. There were several different designs available to provide the dissolving effect.”
Bob’s detailed article includes the then current prices asked by various makers. Members can read all of Bob’s article in the pdf version of issue 15-1 which is included on our ‘free to members’ DVD. You can join by cheque, credit card, debit card or PayPal account. See the ‘MEMBERSHIP’ menu item above if you write cheques or the Membership details at the far right for all other means of joining or renewing. New members will receive their DVD via Canada Post. If you have any questions about membership, email our Membership Secretary, Lilianne Schneider, at member@phsc.ca.
While we can’t say for sure you will find one of these old projectors at our fall fair or auction, we can say you will find many items of interest for your collection (or use).
