The Magic, or, more properly, the Projecting lantern, is an optical
instrument, consisting of a case of wood or metal, enclosing a lamp
or other illuminating agent, the light of which being gathered and
condensed by a suitable condensing lens, and directed upon a small
transparent picture, so powerfully illuminates it that its image,
brilliantly lighted and greatly magnified, may be projected upon a
distant screen by means of an objective--a combination of lenses in
a tube--similar or identical in construction with a photographic
portrait lens.
The modern projecting lantern, now a scientific instrument, bears
very little if any resemblance to the earlier magic lantern, which
was a rude construction, and, as its name implies, was first used by
magicians, or professors of the magic arts, as a means of imposing
upon the ignorance and superstition of their times. Later it became
a toy for the amusement of young people. And occasionally it
furnished amusement for popular assemblies, at what were called
Magic lantern exhibitions, usually the projection upon a screen of
greatly enlarged images of a series of comic pictures painted in
brilliant colors upon glass.
The perfected instrument is now used in advanced schools and
colleges for illustrating scientific lectures, and more popularly by
public lecturers to illustrate by luminous projection scenes and
incidents of travel, etc., without which the mere narrative would be
exceedingly dry and devoid of interest.
Since dry plate photography became a popular amusement, the
projecting lantern has greatly increased in public favor, and the
members of the amateur [p198] photographic societies and camera
clubs throughout the country are interested and engaged in the
production, as slides for the lantern, of views of almost everything
in animate or inanimate life.
The projecting lantern, in its highest development, is a complicated
and costly instrument, the different designs and constructions of
which have received, each, a long and high-sounding name, the
antepenultimate of which is usually of Greek or Latin origin, such
as panopticon, sciopticon, stereopticon, etc., etc., and requiring
such powerful illumination as can only be furnished by the
oxy-hydrogen or calcium lights or electricity.
A new instrument, however, suitable both in cost and in means of
illumination for amateurs and amateur societies, has lately been
introduced by Messrs. E. & H. T. Anthony & Co., which, to be in the
fashion, has received the name Triplexicon.
The Triplexicon is the perfection of oil-burning lanterns; in it
refined petroleum oil is burned in a burner having three wicks; the
centre wick being opposite the centre of the condensing lens, and in
its optical axis, entirely removes the most objectionable fault of
such lanterns, the central shadow or flare.
The Triplexicon, therefore, being of its class the most perfect
instrument, and requiring little if any skill to manage it, becomes
the appropriate instrument for the amateur photographer whereby to
exhibit in a very acceptable manner the trophies of his skill in the
use of the camera and alkaline pyro.
[Illustration: TN: Triplexicon Lantern.]
A gentleman thoroughly familiar with all the various modifications
of the magic lantern, in describing the Triplexicon says of it:
"We have seen many lanterns in our time, and in [p199] several
respects this eclipses them all, especially those for use with
kerosene oil only. The lamp itself is completely shielded with a
well-made hood of Russia iron, and is provided with the patent
triplex wick, which affords the utmost illumination obtainable with
any oil light. The back and front of the hood are closed interiorly
by glass plates, specially annealed to withstand extreme heat, and
the rear one is again closed by perforated sheet iron, covered
interiorly with a highly polished metallic reflector, back of which
is inserted an eye piece of ruby glass. The latter enables one to
always observe the condition of the flame and wicks, and regulate
them without disturbing or discontinuing the action of the
instrument. The chimney is made telescopic, to pack more compactly."
"The diffusing lens, specially constructed for the purpose, is
mounted on a cylindrical slide to extend, if [p200] necessary,
the focal distance, while the condensing lenses, which are of four
inch diameter and can be separated for cleaning, are inserted in a
corresponding slide within the wooden case.
"The case itself is quite compact, and appears very ornamental in
its highly polished mahogany, with its little bronzed ventilators on
either side at the bottom. The metal front is burnished and has a
spiral spring adapter for the admission of the slides. A substantial
wooden box contains all, and serves also as a table for the
instrument while in use. Altogether this is the finest example of
its kind we have yet seen; it will also serve admirably for
enlargements with the gelatino-bromide paper."