'Merito-Optical' Lantern Projector

'Merito-Optical' collapsible lantern projector, made by Thornton-Pickard Ltd.

Thornton-Pickard was a camera manufacturer, founded in Manchester 1888 by John Thornton and Edgar Pickard, but based in Altrincham from 1891. Despite the death of Edgar Pickard in 1897 and John Thornton’s resignation in 1898, the firm gradually grew to become an important camera manufacturer in the years leading up to the First World War. The firm also manufactured a range of photographic equipment, including camera shutters, photographic enlargers and lantern projectors.

The Merito optical lantern was produced by Thornton-Pickard around 1905-1915. Glass picture slides were slid into a slot in the centre of the device and a light shone through them from the lantern at the rear, projecting an image through the lens at the front onto a nearby screen. Often called “magic lanterns,” they were used for both entertainment and educational purposes, and were popular amusements in the 19th century before the rise of cinema made the still-images of magic lanterns less appealing. The Merito folded down into a compact size that allowed it to be stored and transported easily in a leather carry case.