Varieties of Lantern Slides

On this page you can see how many different versions of Briggs' original 12 slides were produced between the 1880s and the first or second decade of the 20th century. Below: Beale's images as 12 black and white slides, from two different sets. Smaller and sturdier, these were probably sold for home use, the market that lantern and slide manufacturers turned to after movies began to replace the magic lantern show. Whenever a caption is a link, clicking on it will bring up a colored version of the same slide. Most of these were probably sold for home use as well. They are from a number of different manufacturers, and the quality ranges from fairly skillful examples of hand-coloring (#'s 1 & 7) to the essentially monochromatic, and presumably mass produced (#'s 5 & 8). The color versions of #'s 2 & 11 are identified as part of an ECONOMIC SERIES. The only one with an identified maker is # 4, which was produced by a New York optical firm called T. H. McAllister. Optical firms also played a major role in the early years of the movie industry.


GEORGE HARRIS TAKING LEAVE OF HIS WIFE.

AN EVENING IN UNCLE TOM'S CABIN.

ESCAPE OF ELIZA AND CHILD ON THE ICE.

UNCLE TOM SOLD AND LEAVING HIS FAMILY.

EVA ST. CLAIR MAKES A FRIEND OF UNCLE TOM.

UNCLE TOM SAVES EVA FROM DROWNING.

GEORGE HARRIS RESISTING THE SLAVE HUNTERS.

EVA AND TOPSY.

EVA READING TO UNCLE TOM.

EVA'S DYING FAREWELL.

LEGREE'S CRUELTY TO UNCLE TOM.

DEATH OF UNCLE TOM.

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