Magic Lantern - Motto slides part 1

MOTTO SLIDES

				3. British slipping slide measuring approx.7 by 4 inches. Herald rolling and unrolling a scroll with a 'good-night' message, thus unveiling his sturdy calves again and again. 7. Handpainted slide which the projectionist would have used to start his magic lantern show. It is encased in a mahogany frame.

Motto slides hold a short message or greeting, mainly used by the lanternist to welcome his audience or to say good-bye to them, but also to urge them to behave themselves (‘Silence !’). An English catalogue of 1894 lists well over a hundred motto's. Among them the introductory slides with texts like 'Welcome', ‘Good Evening’, ‘Good Night’, ‘Adieu’ and ‘Farewell’ are most common.

The motto's might also be seasonal, to wish you ‘A Merry Christmas’, ‘A happy New Year’ or ‘Compliments of the Season’. Also patriotic (‘God Save the Queen’) or sacred (‘God bless you) motto slides were frequently used. Particularly suited for a performance on the occasion of a birthday was ‘Many Happy Returns of the Day’.

A special kind of motto slides are the advertising slides. The village theatre lanternist could obtain these colourful slides mostly free of charge from a lot of companies: manufacturers of chocolate, biscuits, bikes, soap and various other articles. Some advertising slides, like Cadbury’s Cocoa’s, combine an advertisement with a motto like “Good Night’ or ‘Welcome’. Even political parties used the slides sometimes to promote their policies.

Many motto slides have the name of the maker and sometimes a copyright message hidden beneath the paper binding tape.

1. Unashamed yawning girl with a candle saying GOOD NIGHT inside a floral wreath. Slipping slide. The wooden frame measures 7 x 4 x 3/8 inches. 2-5. Advertising slides from Cadbury's Cocoa. 8. A severe looking schoolmaster with a cane. His eyes move in a frightening way from side to side and he has the word SILENCE below him. This slipping slide is the one the lanternist would have used when he completely lost his temper with the kids (7 x 4 inches). 9. The last one of a lovely set of twelve slides about Punch and Judy (3.25 x 3.25 inches).

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