Magic lantern - Battery operated magic lanterns

Battery powered Magic Lanterns.
Part 1.

	Most abecedarian magic lantern that uses a flat 4.5 Volt battery to feed the small bulb at the back.
The battery was placed between the two erected plates of the stand. Switching the small bulb on and off happened simply by moving the battery to and fro.

		Some toy magic lanterns were equipped with a built-in fitting for a small bulb. The battery was connected by cables to two small nuts at the back.
Flashlight Magic Lanterns. Flashlight magic lanterns are simple, battery operated children’s toys. Actually the body is an ordinary portable battery flashlight. An attachment transforms the torch into a magic lantern.
		Probably the most sold Flashlight Magic Lantern is The Mickey Mouse Toy Lantern, 'made by special arrangement with Walt Disney', by Ensign Limited, London W.C.1 (patent number 21309), in the late 1930s.
All the slides, boxes, packaging etc were made in Great Britain, while the lantern itself was made for Ensign in Czechoslovakia. The whole projecting equipment disassembled into three main parts: the pocket torch type section which holds the batteries and the little light bulb, the stand in which the body is placed to make the whole more stable, and an adaptor with lenses and slide holder that changes the common torch into a magic lantern. The on-off switch is on the front above the built-in reflector. The lantern is made of black tin and measures 4 inches high and 6 1/2 inches long (10 x 16,5 cm).


The Mickey Mouse Toy Lantern was sold in a large variety of Toy Lantern Outfits. From very simple up to very extensive. The more expensive sets include numerous lantern slides and even a real cardboard theatre screen.
	This boxed battery operated magic lantern is quite the same as the 'Mickey Mouse Toy Lantern', but it is actually called the 'Columbus'. It came complete in a cardboard box with a nice label on the lid, and instructions. The box measures 6" X 4" X 3 1/2" (15 x 10 x 9 cm).	The Newest Magic Lantern COLUMBUS.

COLUMBUS round model.

Another COLUMBUS battery operated magic lantern. Despite the picture on the box this is actually a round model. The torch is transformed into a magic lantern by screwing off the front lens and mounting instead the attachment. There is a patent number on the lens part, which is 21309 D.R.G.M.932949.

PREMO Magic Lantern.		Flashlight toy lantern made of blue painted tin. Also available in red and black.


The Premo lantern was supplied with a convex lens for flashlight operation with a diameter of 5 cm, which can be screwed onto the lantern after which it can be used as a normal flashlight. The dimensions are approximately 7.5 x 7.5 x 15.5 cm.
Torch Magic Lantern, manufacturer unknown.
Torch magic lantern with a truncated cone shaped filmstrip/slide holder.

Toy Magic Lantern, manufacturer unknown.


Small battery operated magic lantern made by an unknown manufacturer. It uses a flat 4.5 V battery. One of the brass lips of the battery is used to switch the light on or off. The box says "made in Czechoslovakia" and the year (?) 1937. Box dimensions: 11 x 11 x 4.5 cm; lantern dimensions: 12 x 18 x 4.3 cm.
Ozan double duty flashlight/magic lantern.

		Japanese Double Duty Flashlight & Magic Lantern in its original cardboard box with a built-in screen 'for small picture'. A small metal shield on top of the lanterns says "Japan Nippon Registry No. 52002". The battery compartment takes two D cell size batteries.
		More battery lanterns.