Every magic lantern show needs to start with a slide that engages the audience. This one does so because Cadbury’s is known to all Brits as one of our favourite chocolate makers.
The company’s origins were in the Victorian period. John Cadbury opened his first shop in 1824 and, by the 1890s when this slide was produced, he was successfully competing with other large cocoa companies. This slide was given to professional lanternists to start their show. As with many slides of the time, the colour is created by very skilful hand tinting of a printed black outline on the glass. Whether we call it advertising, marketing or product placement, it is no different to the way businesses sell their wares today.
I always start my magic lantern shows with this slide, as it provides a link between my audience and those who saw similar shows one hundred and thirty years ago.
If you found this interesting, please share it with your family and friends. If you’re not reading it on my ‘Magic Lantern World‘ website, then please visit. There are over one hundred illustrated articles about Victorian slide projection and links to my historical photo-booklets on Amazon, my Ebay shop for magic lantern slides and Etsy store for historical photo greetings cards with a twist. You can read about my authentic Victorian magic lantern shows and talks on ‘Optical entertainments before the movies’ and lots more!
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