Magic Lanterns, various manufacturers  U.S.A. part 1

Buckeye Stereopticon Co. Magic Lantern, The Little Buckeye. Measures about 12" high and 16" long. Mounted on a wooden base. Has a porcelain electric light bulb socket inside. Marked "The Little Buckeye - The Buckeye Stereopticon Co., Cleveland, O. Pat. Applied For."
Classic mahogany and brass Sciopticon Magic Lantern, made by the American manufacturer L.J. Marcy, 1869. Marcy was the inventor of the Sciopticon lantern and developed a unique oil lamp which used parallel wicks to enhance the brightness of the projection. The oil lamp assembly has Marcy's name and patent date (1868) on it as well as the production date of 1869. The lantern also features two built in "special effects" colour filters (blue and red) as well as a dissolving mechanism. The lens is stamped with "Darlot Lens, B.F. & Co. Paris".
How the colour filters and the dissolving mechanism are controlled.
Here is a chopped and changed version of the L.J Marcy lantern above. Marcy lanterns modified in a similar fashion, by cutting out the chimney and chimney support and overlaying the created hole with brass or steel, seem to be rather common.
The focus lens is marked "DARLOT PARIS B.F. & Co." The brass objective has a focusing knob and two knobs on top control the coloured glass plates (blue and amber) which tint the projected images. The barrel-shaped lamp house lies like a cannon in its carriage. It has a hinged valve at the back. This beauty measures 18" (46 cm) long, and 8" (20.5 cm) high.

	Here is a massive Louis Stiltz magic lantern that measures 20" (50 cm) long by 9.5" (24 cm) high. The plate on the access door reads LOUIS E. STILTZ & BRO MILITARY & SOCIETY GOODS PHILADELPHIA.
Electro-Radiant Magic Lantern No.2, made by the World Manufacturing Co. and supplied by Peck and Snyder, 126 Nassaustreet, New York, 1900. Seize 43 cm high, 29 cm long. The Japaned tin lantern fits into a 8.5” by 10.5” by 12” (21,5 x 26,5 x 30,5 cm) tall wood case. The wick adjuster is marked Diamond Light Argand.
	A beautiful Magic Lantern made by Sears, Roebuck and Co. Chicago, the "Cheapest Supply House On Earth" as a small shield at the lantern claims.
This Magic Lantern carries a patent date of Sept. 5, 1899 on the front and is made by the Enterprise Optical Manufacturing Co, an American projection equipment manufacturer, active c. 1890-1930 in Chicago, Illinois. Approx 17" in length x 9 1/2" high x 5 1/2" wide (43 x 24 x 14 cm).
	This large magic lantern was made by the Douglass Light Company of Seattle, WA. Complete in the original wooden case and with wooden slide holder. The Douglass Light Company was a small family business of lantern manufacturers, founded in 1904 by three brothers Douglass. They started to make magic lanterns and slides around 1908 and continued until the early 1930s.
There are no identification markings on this magic lantern anywhere. It's hard to identify makers of this type of lantern because a number of manufacturers made ones that look similar, and they didn't change much over the years. This type was widely used in churches, schools, homes, lecture halls, etc. Probably it is American made from about 1885-1910. This magic lantern was made for the old 4" x 7" wood mounted slides. Dimensions: Projector base footprint is 5" x 10" not including the mounting tongue on the front. Height without chimney is 9-1/4" Height with chimney extended is 16-1/2". Overall length with lens retracted is 16".

American made 'Badger' magic lantern (1895-1900). With the exception of the folding mahogany wooden baseboard the body of this lantern is entirely made out of aluminium. On the rear panel just above the name shield of the manufacturing company, i.e. "BADGER STEREOPTICON CO.," PLATTSVILLE, WIS.", a profile bas-relief of a badger is placed.
The projector lens is made by Bausch & Lomb and is beautifully nickeled. The large lens is mounted in an unusual way on the base board when it is used for exhibition in large halls.
The baseboard can be folded down when a normal-sized threaded lens is mounted in the front lens snout for projection in standard sized halls. The unit is 7" wide, 11" long, and 12" tall (18 x 28 x 30.5 cm'. Assembled with the lens in place it is about 24" (61 cm) long.

	A beautiful magic lantern measuring about 17.5 inches tall by almost 17 inches long (c. 44.5 x 43 cm). The base is finely crafted in cast iron with pretty guiding and ornate coloured striping. The chamber is pressed metal and thicker then tin. The lens apparatus is set in brass and has the name of the maker engraved in the carrier: N.H. Edgerton, Philada. Made in Philadelphia, USA.

Weeden "Brilliant"
Weeden "Brilliant" Magic Lantern #2 made by the Weeden MFG Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts USA between 1890 and 1906 and sold new for about $2. Very rare; less than 6 known to exist. The original wooden box with dovetailed corners measures 9 "x 5 "x 6.3" (23 x 12.5 x 16 cm).
	Measures 24 x 20 cm. For slides of 4 cm high.	Black tin and brass magic lantern made by the American optician and dealer in optical goods, James W. Queen , Philadelphia, Pa., c. 1841-1860. The wood base measures 14 1/2" (37 cm) long, and from the back of the base to the tip of the lens it is almost 18" (45.5 cm) long. It is almost 7" (17.5 cm) wide and 18 1/2" (47 cm) to the top of the chimney.
Unknown manufacturer but probably made in U.S.A. Made of black painted tin with double handle of metal wire. Build in oil lamp, complete with chimney and condensor.
More American lanterns.......

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