Fellow Art Librarians, I wonder if someone with a stronger background in
photography can assist Dr. Tobin. Please contact him directly. His email
address is [log in to unmask]
-- Roberto
>Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2000 11:23:04 -0400
>From: "Thomas J. Tobin" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Thomas H. McAllister magic lantern slide set.
>To: [log in to unmask]
>
>Dear Colleagues,
>
>Recently we purchased a set of magic lantern slides depicting the *Old
Curiosity Shop* "from the life" which were produced in England for T. H.
McAllister, manufacturing optician, of New York City. McAllister and his
brothers started out in Philadelphia, and Thomas moved to New York to
conduct his business.
>
>The plates in the series appear to have been made by daguerreotyping some
time during the 1860s, based on internal evidence, such as the dates of
paintings on the walls in the images; however, such dating methods are at
best subjective and imprecise.
>
>Each plate has a set of paper lables which read
>
>"Copyright"
>
>"Made in Great Britain for"
>
>"T. H. McAllister, Manufacturing Optician, 49, Nassau Street, New York"
>
>The character "ct" in "Manufacturing" is a ligature, and one label has a
misprint of "Masufacturing."
>
>We've been able to determine who McAllister was, what type of business he
operated and even how much the set cost, as listed in one of his catalogs.
We've gathered that most of the sets he sold were of scenic locations in
Europe and the Middle East, though he had several of the Christmas stories
and other Dickens slide sets in his catalog.
>
>We have been unable to make the leap over the pond to discover the
original manufacturer of the set, and we would very much appreciate it if
anyone has any helpful information in (or from) that direction. Also, if
anyone has a copy of the lecture that accompanied the slides, we would jump
with joy and do tricks for a look at it. Likewise, if anyone has a full
set of the slides (of a set of 24 slides, we have plates 1-16 and 20-24),
we'd be hard pressed to supress our excitement.
>
>Thanks in advance for your help with this search.
>
>s/ Thomas J. Tobin, Ph.D.
>(for) Mary Ann Tobin
>
>Antiquary
>Oak House
>406 East Tenth Avenue
>Munhall, PA 15120
>412-461-4160 home
>Oak House online: http://www.engl.duq.edu/servus/oakhouse/
>The Pre-Raphaelite Critic: http://www.engl.duq.edu/servus/PR_Critic/
>
==================================================
Roberto C. Ferrari
Head of Access Services
Arts & Humanities Librarian
Wimberly Library
Florida Atlantic University
777 Glades Rd., Boca Raton, FL 33431
PHONE: 561-297-3575
FAX: 561-338-3863
EMAIL: [log in to unmask]
WEB: http://www.fau.edu/library/people/rferrari.htm
==================================================
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