Phantasmagoria magic lantern
circa 1820
Phantasmagoria magic lantern c. 1820, in case, with 14 short lantern slides, 2 long slides and 7 slides in box. (see note on page 3)
Phantasmagoria was a form of entertainment that (among other techniques) used one or more magic lanterns to project frightening images such as skeletons, demons, and ghosts onto walls, smoke, or semi-transparent screens, typically using rear projection to keep the lantern out of sight. Mobile or portable projectors were used, allowing the projected image to move and change size on the screen, and multiple projecting devices allowed for quick switching of different images. Étienne-Gaspard "Robertson" Robert, a Belgian inventor and physicist from Liège, became the best-known phantasmagoria showman.