1930s vintage slide projector

[Ynot]

I'm working on The Pitmen Painters come November and need a working slide projector that would be viable for the period (set in 1934). I have a couple of old machines, but nothing that old - the closest I have is a 1950s Hanimex Argus 300 and that really looks too modern.

Searching around I've not found anything thus far that fits the bill, even in picture form yet so thought I'd enquire here. Plenty of pics of 1950ish onwards but not a great deal before that so far :(

 

One possibility might be for me to build a wooden box to fit my 1950s model into to 'date' it a little, but the problem there is that the chromed slide mechanism (one slide at a time) would stick out like a sore thumb.

 

We may have to suck up the artistic accuracy for the plot and use this one for the play, but as it tends to be a bit of a focal point at least in the first scene or so, it could attract comment (we've just done OWALW and one patron wrote in to say that the design of the Waterloo Station sign we made up was completely wrong for the WW1 period, on which he was 100% correct - we hadn't researched THAT one well enough!! :( )

 

So - any thoughts from the collective??

Still Googling for pictures at least, but anyone with any knowledge/links would be great.

[Dave m]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Flmostar-Filmosto-Dresden-Vintage-Projector-/361388747550?hash=item542472ab1e

Try searching form magic lantern? It may not be correct but seems to be commonly used for "vintage slide projector"

A lot of carriers were wood

 

[Jivemaster]

Consider where you will source the old valve based lamps from. You'd be very lucky to get a projector with spare lamps with it, and I'd suggest that replacement lamps are rare. An internal rebuild to take a modern projector lamp could be a challenge.

 

Can you conceal a digital projector in a suitable casing??

[Dave m]

I wondered about one of those hand held projectors that runs off an SD card hidden, but they are not bright or big.

I did some 9.5 mm film to video and the reflector in the original (valve type) projector was a separate component , possibly due to it being easier to make that way.It was a close match for a dichroic lamp from a modern film projector and quite easy to find the focus point

[boatman]

Lots of wonderful stuff on magic lanterns here.

[propsman]

Hi

 

As the Stage Manager and person who made the original projector, box, slide carraige and slides for the production I based the design on this magic lantern. We decided to as long as it was pre 1930's we would get away with it.

 

It had a battery powered bulb in it with a switch at the back. As it was switched on the image appeared on the centre screen of the set (projected from a projector that was rigged on a FOH bar). The slides were squares of clear perspex with images printed on tracing paper and stuck to them, so when the actor held them up to the light to chose the correct slide you could see the image.

 

Just before the production was toured for the 2nd time I was asked to do some repairs to the slide carriage as it had been broken, I was surprised that they were still using the original prop and it had survived 2 runs at the National, travelled to Broadway and back, and a national tour, as it was something that was made in a bit of a hurry.

 

For about 6 years after doing the production I use to still get emails or calls from people who wanted information regarding the props in the production.