Lanterns & accessories
From candle flame to electricity and with bodies to die for, we present the evolution of the lantern in pictures.
But first...
...what is a magic lantern?
Images of Magic Lanterns
In 2003, Christie's of London auctioned the John Finney Collection of Magic Lanterns. Formed by a Society member over many years, the collection represented one of the largest collections of Magic Lanterns in private hands.
By kind permission of Christie's we reproduce here a selection of items from the extensive sale catalogue. Each image below links to a selection of lanterns of the same type.
The selection of images gives a good impression of the wide variety and styles of lantern that were produced in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries: