Abraham Lincoln Related
Abraham Lincoln Portrait Glass Slide labeled: "Abraham Lincoln. Hance (sic) Photo, 1860." taken by Matthew Brady
c. 1860-80 Vintage "Magic" Lantern Colorized Glass Slide of a beardless Abraham Lincoln, labeled: "Abraham Lincoln. Hance (sic) Photo, 1860.", taken by Matthew Brady, Near Mint.
A lovely, colorized portrait of a beardless Abraham Lincoln in a glass slide measuring 3.25" x 4." The slide is labeled: "Abraham Lincoln. Hance (sic) Photo, 1860." This is a copy of a famous, well-known portrait of Lincoln, taken by Matthew Brady on February 27, 1860, the day he gave a speech to New York's Cooper Union. The image itself measures 2.5" x 1.75." The original image showed a nearly full-length pose of Lincoln, his right hand at his side and his left on a book. In this case, Lincoln is shown from the waist up. It is believed that this image, more than any other, shaped the public perception of Lincoln as a viable candidate for the Presidency (even back in 1860, image was everything).
The magic lantern is an early type of image projector employing pictures painted, printed or produced photographically on transparent plates (usually made of glass), one or more lenses, and a light source. It was mostly developed in the 17th century and commonly used for entertainment purposes. It was increasingly applied to educational purposes during the 19th century. The magic lantern was in wide use from the 18th century until the mid-20th century, when it was superseded by a compact version that could hold many 35 mm photographic slides: the slide projector.