Magic! The find, the history, the projectors. Not the worm poop!

Auction Find Alert!!!

(many of these ornaments and paintings were individually photographed on separate slides)

This weekend I have been fantastically preoccupied. That is the only way I can describe it. As regular followers will know, my husband and I attend auctions and sell online. We come across a lot of cool stuff, but unfortunately not as much as we would like. (Could you ever get enough?) Or should I rephrase...stuff that I find cool. Confession time, I am a history nerd and I majored in it at University. A Bachelor of Arts is a strange degree, because you can't do much with it, except for teach, which I didn't do. My husband and I started our business, but it is kind of awesome that my passion has come full circle. Verbose! Apologies! Maybe it is those interminable essays I had to write to get the damn degree. The find:

(this is one of my favourite slides because it is...bizarre!)

Magic Lantern Slides

But not any old Magic Lantern Slides. The personal collection of someone I presume was a University lecturer at the very same campus I attended, but at its' inception, in 1931! I recognised the oldest part of the university (UKZN, Durban Campus), Howard College, on one of the lantern slides and my excitement level rose exponentially. My husband thought he had bought books, as the box with 100's of vintage slides was sealed with tape, and left with an auction lot containing books. The auctioneers never even opened the box to check its' contents. This is the main reason that particular auction company is one of our very favourites, they don' check!

(the distinctive dome of Howard College! c1930's)

(close-up of the dome that had me so excited!)

(the photo's I am guessing are of staff and students at Howard College in that era)

Magic Lantern Projectors

A quick explanation. Magic lantern projectors have been used commonly since the 1700's, right through until the end of WWII. Usually they used kerosene, or even candlelight as a light source to enable projection. Early slides were hand drawn and coloured and are extremely sought after. Later they were used for photographic projection until the development of slide projectors. These projectors were also used in the field of education. I also found geological sample slides and slides with graphs in the lot. Most of the slides featured in this article measure 16cm/12cm.

        

(Magic Lantern slide projectors, Wikipedia)

It was specifically because of the Howard College slide I found that I was able to date the slides to the 1930's, as Howard College was built in 1931. I only found one early photo of Howard College on a Google image search, so I am beyond thrilled with our find. There were additional slides depicting classrooms and students of that era. The  geological sample slides and graphs, support my theory the university lecturer was the photographer/owner of the slides.

           

(Howard College, the oldest part of the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, Durban Campus now, Wikipedia)

(geological sample slides)

I started sorting through the slides on Sunday morning and was initially charmed by the family photographs, which managed to capture a slice of 1930 white South African life. The photographer also photographed his furniture and ornament collection. Some of these slides were truly stunning and were what first captured my attention. I decided to organise them into categories, for example: furniture, ornaments, family, workshop etc. I listed a few lots on Monday, but working in the second hand buy & sell business is never predictable and I had to direct my attention elsewhere for a little while.

                                                        

                                                    

                                                    

(a few family slides...by the end of Sunday these people felt like my family!)

(a few pieces of the beautiful furniture in the home)

                                                     

                          

(I have 42 slides depicting the stunning antique ornaments in the home, which was half brick, and half corrugated iron, as far as I could ascertain.)

(the family home)

Apart from the early university related slides, there were also two slides depicting what I believe to be black political activist/s of the era, especially as this was the time when African Trade Unions started to gain influence. I am hoping that the slides might depict Albert Luthuli (nominated leader of the ANC in 1952), after whom a residence at UKZN was named. We have had some discussion at home about whether the slides depict the same person, or two separate people? This has been a mystery that has been consuming a chunk of my time but I don't mind, it is what I do! I am ever hopeful a few people will recognise the person/s(?), and the slides will be  the subject of an auction battle.

                         

                         

After I spent half of Sunday sorting the slides. I even had my lunch (inspired by @themagus blog about bottling olives) in my online room, dusting off worm poop. The other half of Sunday was spent photographing the slides on the nifty contraption my resourceful husband made for me. Some of the slides photographed so beautifully that I am going to devote a separate blog to them.

                         

(my chaotic online room)

(sorting the slides)

(lunchtime, I used a fork so I didn't touch my food with worm poop fingers)

                         

(the contraption my husband made)

I hope you enjoyed this amazing discovery with me. I have only listed a few lots so far, but will hopefully get the opportunity to do a lot more tomorrow. If you are interested in actually purchasing any of them, I will sell for SBD. If you have any additional information about the images I have shared, I would LOVE it if you shared!!!

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