T. H. McAllister lantern slide set · Columbian Exposition, 24 hand-tinted, 1893
24 hand-tinted views of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair by T. H. McAllister, New York. Original mahogany frames. Colors unusually strong.
- SKU
- MS-OM-0006
- Era
- Pre-1900
- Condition
- Excellent; mahogany frames, mica sealant intact throughout
- Dimensions
- Each slide 4 × 3.25 in; boxed set 14 × 5 × 5 in
- Weight
- 4.5 lb
- Provenance
- From the estate of a Chicago-area lantern lecturer, active 1895-1910.
- Category
- Antique Media & Optics
- Tags
- magic-lanternslidesworlds-fairchicago-1893mcallister
A magic-lantern slide set of 24 hand-tinted views of the 1893 Chicago World's Columbian Exposition, produced by T. H. McAllister of New York. Each slide is mounted in the original mahogany frame with mica sealant intact. Colors are unusually strong for a set of this age; the tinting is anonymous but confident and clearly commercial rather than amateur.
Subjects include the Court of Honor, the Ferris Wheel (its debut), the Palace of Fine Arts (still standing today as the Museum of Science and Industry), and a night view of the Grand Basin illuminated by Westinghouse arc lamps—one of the earliest large-scale electrical spectacles ever staged. Set is numbered but not titled; a period key card is included.
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