What the heck is this?

tstowe

I recently purchased this from a retired magazine photographer who also owned a camera shop. This has been in his store room for 40 years and he's not sure exatly what it is or if all the items actually went with the item. Best guess it was some sort of photo viewer...possibly for glass slides and it was patented in 1880.

The box is actually two boxes. The inner box has a reflector inside it and is vented on three sides. There is a hinged plate on the back and a cardboard back with a hole in it that slides out. Inside there is also an asbestos square. The front has a brass lens that slides in and out.

Image 1

Image 2

Image 3

Image 4

Image 5

Image 6


Any ideas?

Andy

I dunno but I bet Ziggy knows.

CaroleHayes

Looks like a projector of some sort, to me....

Art Scott

CaroleHayes wrote:

Looks like a projector of some sort, to me....

My first thought also.................

tstowe

Art Scott wrote:

My first thought also.................

Mine too. I'd just like to see a picture of how it works...

Cygnus Studios

If you can read the patent number you can search the patent office. The records go back to the late 1700's

hgernhardtjr

To me, without seeing everything, it looks like a variant of the old Magic Lanterns (projectors) from the late 1800s. They came in many sizes and shapes and knock-offs.

Chris H

It's not one of these is it!!!

tstowe

Chris H wrote:

It's not one of these is it!!!

I WISH...especially since I paid $10 for it.

There's no patent number on it, just a date, Jan. 6, 1880. The patent office recorords go back to 1790. There were 241 patents filed on Jan. 6, 1880.

It aint a single one of them.

dkoyanagi

It might be a magic lantern, an early type of slide project that used an oil lamp as a light source, hence the stove pipe and the thing that looks like a burner.

tstowe

dkoyanagi wrote:

It might be a magic lantern, an early type of slide project that used an oil lamp as a light source, hence the stove pipe and the thing that looks like a burner.

According to Mark from the Magic Lantern Society (yeah, I didn't know one existed either), it's not. He guessed some kind of early darkroom equipment.

Angelo

this should help

http://www.prices4antiques.com/photographica/magic-lanterns-projectors/Magic-Lantern-Luxol-Dark-Room-Lamp-circa-1900-A004258.htm



http://www.prices4antiques.com/sitemap/photographica/magic-lanterns-projectors/


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ziggy53

I'm just noticing this thread now. I have sent the OP a request to meet back here.

It would be nice to know if the lens is designed for "real" image (projection) or "virtual" image (direct viewing by looking into the box using the lens as an inspection device.)

Please place a lighted object inside the box, in line with the lens, and see if the lens allows a real image or a virtual image, as described above.

Thanks,

tstowe

ziggy53 wrote: »

I'm just noticing this thread now. I have sent the OP a request to meet back here.

It would be nice to know if the lens is designed for "real" image (projection) or "virtual" image (direct viewing by looking into the box using the lens as an inspection device.)

Please place a lighted object inside the box, in line with the lens, and see if the lens allows a real image or a virtual image, as described above.

Thanks,

I have no idea. It's in my classroom and it's summer. :ivar

My guess would be the first, the lens is for real viewing. I say this because you can focus the lens by moving it in and out. If the lens was for viewing inside the box, the distance would never change so the focus wouldn't need to change.

ziggy53

tstowe wrote: »

I have no idea. It's in my classroom and it's summer. :ivar

My guess would be the first, the lens is for real viewing. I say this because you can focus the lens by moving it in and out. If the lens was for viewing inside the box, the distance would never change so the focus wouldn't need to change.

Even inspection (virtual image based) devices have adjustable focus, i.e. a microscope or linen thread count device.

It might be a projection device, but the stack/chimney with the diverter top has me baffled. Even the burner looks odd for a "magic lantern".

No rush, but if you wouldn't mind further investigation when school is back in session.

In the meantime you might contact Andrew Davidhazy, who is the "Professor in the Imaging and Photographic Technology department, School of Photographic Arts and Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology". He has some knowledge of early optical devices.

andpph@rit.edu

ziggy53

I am now suspicious that it might be a postcard projector. If so, it is an opaque projection type device and the light from the burner, with a "doped" flammable substance in the burner, would fit inside the main box, while the chimney and diverter would sit atop. The diverter would probably be aligned so that stray light from the diverter would cast light to the sides

The device would have been used in a completely darkened room and the postcard would have been positioned just behind the hole in the cardboard slide. The hinged back may have provided the channel for the postcard to travel.

I suspect this may have been a "kit" of some sort. Most of the commercial designs were much more ornate and typically metal construction. Dual illumination was more normal, but simple designs with one lamp can be found.

BTW instead of standard sized postcards these projectors were built to many sizes and used picture cards of many sizes too, not just what we think of postcards today.

ziggy53

Also "Luxol" was the name of a British chemical lamp manufacturer and they produced darkroom lamps in addition to what you have shown.

You might contact the following website and show them your images:

http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/index.html