Magic lantern
Category
Toys
Date
circa 1940
Materials
Metal, cardboard, plastic and elastic
Measurements
Lantern - 171 mm (length); 100 mm (width), Box - 240 mm (length); 290 mm (width)
Order this imageCollection
Sudbury Hall Museum of Childhood, Derbyshire
NT 663601
Summary
A toy magic lantern, powered by electricity, which comes with full colour slides and its original box. Within the box there is a lantern, a stand and eleven boxes of slides. The lantern is made out of black metal with grey metal stands, which reads "Czechoslovakia" underneath. It has a clear double electric cable leading to a circa 1940 electric outlet plug, which reads 'Made in England'. The black metal stand comes in it own open brown cardboard box. The stand comes with three round legs to balance on, with two metal gold pins, and four different shaped screw in light blubs. There are nine different stories in the eleven boxes of slides. The first is 'The Big Bad Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood' which has '12 coloured lantern slide pictures'. The box is pale blue, with a small picture of one of the slides. Within the box is an A5 folded paper telling the story and slides numbers. The second story is 'Mickey Crusoe' which has '12 coloured lantern slide pictures'. The box is olive green with a small picture of Mickey Mouse. Within the box are two slides with six drawings on each one and an A5 folded paper telling the story and slides numbers. The third story is 'Mickey Mouse in Giant Land' which has '12 coloured lantern slide pictures'. The box is yellow with a small picture of Mickey Mouse on a beanstalk. Within the box are two slides with six drawings on each one and an A5 folded paper telling the story and slides numbers. The fourth story is 'Night Before Christmas' which has '12 coloured lantern slide pictures from the famous Walt Disney silly symphony'. The box is red with a small picture of Santa Claus. Within the box are two slides with six drawings on each one and an A5 folded paper telling the story and slides numbers. The fifth story is 'Donald Duck in an Alpine Adventure' which has '12 coloured lantern slide pictures'. The box is dark blue with a small picture of Donald Duck and friends. Within the box are two slides with six drawings on each one and an A5 folded paper, telling the story and slides numbers. The sixth story is 'The Piped Piper' which has '12 coloured lantern slide pictures'. The box is orange with a small picture of the Piped Piper. Within the box are two slides with six drawings on each one and an A5 folded paper, telling the story and slides numbers. The seventh story is a three part story of 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'. Each box has '12 coloured lantern slide pictures'. The boxes are in a dark blue with a small picture of the seven dwarfs. Within each box are two slides with six drawings on each one and an A5 folded paper telling the story and slides numbers. The eighth story is 'Three Little Pigs' which has the 'complete story, 24 coloured lantern slide pictures from the famous Walt Disney film'. The box is pale blue with a small picture of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf with the description Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?' Within the box are six slides with four drawings on each one. The ninth story is 'Walt Disney's Pinocchio' which has the 'complete set of 36 coloured toy slides'. The box is red with a small slide picture of 'Pinocchio', with a picture of Pinocchio holding the lantern showing his friends. Within the box are six slides with six drawings on each one and an A5 folded paper telling the story and slides numbers. The box which is made out of cardboard and the edges of the box have been Sellotaped due to it breaking. The lid opens up, but is not fully removable, and has cartoon drawings of Mickey Mouse and friends watching a slide of the Three Little Pigs. 'Mickey Mouse, Toy Lantern Outfit with Full Colour Slides' is printed on the lid in a variety of colours and letters styles. The sides of the box are decorated by Walt Disney cartoons. The inside of the box lid has the same pictures as on the outside. Total number of items is 54.
Provenance
Donated to the Museum of Childhood by Wendy Capps in August 2010.