Cinematographs, movies on the magic lantern part 1

Cinematographs 1
movies on the magic lantern

Manufacturers of magic lanterns reacted to the emerging rivalry of the motion picture at the beginning of the last century by making supplementary devices that could be mounted on the base board, together with the magic lantern. They were sold as 'a mechanism by which it is possible to change each magic lantern into a cinematograph'. Later the projectors were fabricated as a combined normal magic lantern and a film projector at once. Often those apparatus had their own trade name, we bring them together under the collective noun 'cinematograph'. Cinematographs always had the ability to show loops, film strips from which the begin and end were glued together. For this purpose the upper reel was mounted high above the apparatus on an extending bar. Mostly also longer films could be showed. Often an receiving reel was absent; after passing the film channel the film landed simply on the table or the floor. The intermittent film transport was brought about by a rotating buckled rod that repeatedly struck the film down, or later by means of a 'Maltese cross' (see picture).
Cinematograph made by Ernst Plank c. 1905 This cinematograph is a good example of a combined slide/cinematograph magic lantern. It is complete except the chimney, which can be considered as a part of the source of light.

The Russian iron lamp house stands on a massive oak baseboard and has the makers trade plate with the well known winged wheel and the initials E.P. at the front. The optical part consists of a condenser lens in the body, and a brass objective assembly that can be placed in one of the two interchangeable pedestals. The lantern measures c. 36 x 20 x 36 cm.	When used as a cinematograph a big handwheel to one side drives the film transport and shutter via a belt, pulley, shaft, wormwheel, and pinion.


Most models have a combined pedestal for projecting slides as well as film strips. With this model the front pedestal with the film transport mechanism can be removed and replaced by a simple pedestal, enabling it to operate as a 'normal' magic lantern for showing oblong glass lantern slides.
Magic lantern slide

Belonging to this cinematograph are some small cans containing short films on a variety of topics. The beginning and the end of the films are glued together, thus forming an endless loop.	The rear door opens to reveal the oil lamp with reflector. Of course this simple lamp could easily be replaced by another type.
	Another good example: Cinematograph Georg Carette & Co, Nuremberg, c. 1900. The complete set was delivered in a solid cardboard box and consists of the magic lantern, some endless filmstrips, twelve oblong glass slides and two mechanical slides. This cinematograph has a combined fixed front part for projecting slides as well as filmstrips, which is mounted on the wooden baseboard and forms an indissoluble part of the lantern.




More cinematographs on the next pages....