General Antiques and Collectibles Spring Auction
Lot 85:
Description
C-17501
Collection of hand-painted glass magic lantern slides, each mounted in wood or card frames, depicting a variety of medieval, biblical, and moralizing scenes. Subjects include religious parables, processions, village life, and allegorical tableaus, rendered in vivid color across circular vignettes. These slides were designed for projection in a magic lantern, an early optical device popular for both educational lectures and parlor entertainment. Glass slides of this type were produced in large numbers across Europe-particularly in Germany, France, and England-where they were sold to schools, churches, and traveling lecturers. They represent a transitional era in visual culture when storytelling, religious instruction, and entertainment merged through projected imagery.
Slides show scratches, flaking, and losses to painted surfaces; some frames exhibit chips, cracks, and wear from handling.
Largest: 12" L
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