NYALBANY-L Archives

From: "Ed" <>
Subject: Re: [NYALBANY] meaning of 'presided at the lantern'?
Date: Fri, 9 Aug 2002 13:55:00 -0500
References: <20020809183558.27156.qmail@s4.virt.pciwest.net>

Probably a Magic Lantern, with a gas flame as a source of light. It was a
very early image projection system,. and apparently Mr. James G. Fitzgerald
operated it for this gathering.

Ed Broecker

----- Original Message -----
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Sent: Friday, August 09, 2002 1:35 PM
Subject: [NYALBANY] meaning of 'presided at the lantern'?


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> The following undated newspaper clipping from an Albany or Watervliet
> paper, (probably sometime from the mid 1880s to late 1890s) is pasted in
> a Fitzgerald family album. Does anyone know what "presided at the
> lantern" means in this context? It sounds like what we'd call a slide
show,
> but I'm not familiar with the technology that might have been used here.
>
> "Mr. James G. Fitzgerald, one of the most enthusiastic lovers of fine
> pictures, presided at the lantern assisted by his sons who inherit a love
> for artistic work. The many comic pictures thrown upon the canvas
> pleased everybody and kept the crowd in good humor. The result was one
> of the finest exhibitions from an artistic standpoint ever given
Albanians.
> Mr. McCarty, of the Albany Calcium Light company, furnished the gas for
> the exhibit, while Artists Graham, Sheridan, Lang, McNally, Palmer, Harold
> McGrath and others prepared the pictures."
>
> A similar newsclipping from the same album reads:
>
> [noted in longhand, "Nov. 1884" "The Retaras"]
> "For the very fine artistic exhibition on the bulletin boards of the
[illegible --
> Daily?] Press and Knickerbocker last evening, an exhibition which was
> enjoyed by many thousand people, thanks are due to Mr. James G.
> Fitzgerald, B. M. McCarty, and Mr. Veeder. Despite the torrents of rain,
> thousands of people watched [our?] canvas until nearly midnight when,
> out of sympathy for the throng who had watched them so patiently for
> many hours, the exhibition was brought to a close"
>
> I'd be most grateful for any explanations list memebers have, including
> references to other sources for further information.
>
> Pam Perryman
> Eugene, Oregon
>
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This thread:

• [NYALBANY] meaning of 'presided at the lantern'? by
  • [NYALBANY] The Magic Lantern by Cliff Lamere <>

  • Re: [NYALBANY] meaning of 'presided at the lantern'? by "Ed" <>

  • Re: [NYALBANY] meaning of 'presided at the lantern'? by