World Wide Web Virtual Library - Film History Index

WWW VL Main History Index and Sites Maintainers.

About the WWW VL History Project.

EUI's Library and History & Civilisation Department Web Sites.

The Film History Index provides Internet resources on the international History of Cinema from different approaches. The documents and materials gathered on this site should not be taken to reflect the view of Frédéric Gimello-Mesplomb, his editor.

Before cinema

The complete history of the discovery of cinema Detailed, encyclopedic history of cinema before cinema, starting in 900 B. C.
Luikerwaal Pictures, articles, bibliography and links on magic lanterns - in English or Dutch
Magic Lantern Pictures and links, Dutch or English
The Victorian Magic Lantern - Pictures of magic lantern slides Site of Eric Foxley, who gives magic lantern lectures in Victorian style. The site contains reproductions of Victorian magic lantern slides.
Galantee So Pictures and links
A centennial salute to Cinema Smithsonian Institute, Washington, pictures
The Magic Lantern Society, UK "The objectives of the Society are to exchange knowledge, co-ordinate research and disseminate information about the history and development of the magic lantern and lantern slides; to encourage and perpetuate the conservation of apparatus and slides and to examine and recommend conservation techniques; to encourage the cataloguing and the exhibition of all existing magic lantern material; to revive and sustain the art of magic lantern projection and to arrange slide presentations."
Magic Lantern Society of the United States and Canada "Founded in 1977, the purposes of the Society are to establish an organization of persons and entities interested in the collection, possession, conservation, restoration, and maintenance of Magic Lanterns, Lantern Slides and related material; to encourage member persons and entities to share their knowledge of the Magic Lantern, Lantern Slides and related material with any interested persons or entities; to coordinate research, catalogue material and disseminate all information about the history, uses, and development of the Magic Lantern, Lantern Slides; to promote exhibition and shows of Magic Lantern Equipment, Lantern Slides and the known methods of use in as historically accurate a manner as possible. Members meet regionally and country wide as well as individually presenting exhibits, lanterns shows and sharing information, not only in the United States, but abroad as well. A newsletter and other publications are issued periodically to the members."
Magic Lantern Museum, Texas - Pictures and information "The Magic Lantern Castle Museum contains exhibits of many hundreds of items of equipment, glass slides, illustrations, prints, and other items that relate to the history of the magic lantern (lantern slide projector) and scientific optic projection apparatus from the 1700s to 1900s. In addition, there are many hundreds of similar items in storage. To the museum's knowledge, this is the only museum in the world that is solely dedicated to this subject. Collection items have been used worldwide and span approximately 250 years. Sub-collections include early radios, quack medical devices, and other techno-related items. here is a fairly extensive library of original catalogues, books, prints, illustrations, etc. from the 19th century, plus extensive files of information on the subject of magic lantern equipment and usage from the 1600s to present. All materials in the museum are available for research for serious researchers with reasonable advance notice. Visual reference collection: slides, black and white prints. Numerous items are being catalogued in computers, via scanner and then catalogued in CDs."
A magic lantern journey through India, 1895
Professor Clark's virtual magic lantern show Detailed on-line example of a magic lantern performance
The American magic lantern theater Information by one of the last remaining magic latern showmen: "America's only professional touring company re-creating Victorian magic-lantern shows."
Victorian magic lantern shows Technical details of various lantern types and copies of old slide-catalogues
The Randall-Salter Collection Victorian slide sets
Grand IlusionsA site with many visual games, some of which illustrate principles of cinema/magic lantern.
Sunny Hillsides An antique dealer shares knowledge about magic lanterns.
The projection boxPublisher specialised in books about the prehistory of cinema. Contains also a nice museum-tour through this prehistory, based upon a discontinued exposition at the London Museum of the Moving Image
The Minici Zotti Collection, Padua (IT)Website of a museum on the prehistory of cinema "This "museum of magic visions" is unique in the panorama of Italian private collections. It includes optical instruments and toys, rare iconographical and bibliographical materials, musical instruments and, above all, a great number of Magic Lanterns and Magic Lantern Slides, which document the enchanting journey of still and animated images, from the 1700s to the beginning of the Cinematograph. Specific sections are devoted to photography, stereoscopy and to different varieties of Magic Lanterns: toy-Lanterns, scientific and professionals Lanterns, used in performances throughout the 19th century. Among the most significant pieces of the Collection: a complete Javanese Shadow Theater (end of the 19th century); the Megaletoscopio 'Privilegiato', patented by Carlo Ponti, optician in Venice, in 1862; the J.H. Steward tri-unial and bi-unial lantern; the W.Tyler bi-unial lantern; the Philip Harris & Co. Scientific Lantern; a pair of magic lanterns side by side with a mechanical dissolver and the Walter Gibbons Cinematograph-Lantern, suited for the projection of both slides and films. Some important optical instruments have been accurately reconstructed to give visitors the possibility trying them: the Canaletto's Camera Obscura, the 'Mondo Niovo', portrayed in a 18th century engraving by Gaetano Zompini an the Daguerre's Diorama."
The Daguerreian SocietyWebsite on the history of early photography: "We've prepared a brief history of the daguerreotype, an extensive daguerreian bibliography, an illustrated description of the process, a look into a daguerreian materials manufactory, many 19th and early 20th century texts, and much more. Our resources are extensive; be prepared to spend some time here!"
The Bill Douglas Centre, University of Exeter

About the Film History Index

The Film History Index offers world-wide resources dealing with the history of Film available in all languages.

The URL of this page is [http://vlib.iue.it/hist-film/Index.html].

The Film History Index is a joint project between the European University Institute's Library and History & Civilisation Department .

The Film History Index was created in September 2000 as part of the WWW VL History Network.

About the WWW VL History Network

The World Wide Web Virtual Library History Network is a collection of subject related Websites maintained by institutions throughout the world, each administering a different subject. The World Wide Web Virtual Library History Central Catalogue is maintained by Serge Noiret and Inaki Lopez Martin at the European University Institute, Florence, Italy. If you need help or want to suggest any information contact the maintainer here.. For more information on the History Network Project, go to
[ http://vlib.iue.it/history/about/about.html ]

About the Maintainer

.The site was created and managed by Gerben Bakker, 1999-2001.

The Film History Index is maintained by Frédéric Gimello-Mesplomb, 2006-. (http://fgimello.free.fr/)
Please direct your notices of new URL's or inoperative links to him here: gimello (at) yahoo.com

Last updated the 10 May, 2007