Conventional Fixtures Magic Lantern Fake?

ship

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1925 opened Scottich Rich (Mason) lodge in Peoria, Il. Found in an upper shelf stage right near the stage managers' stand.

It's clearly a period or later Magic Lantern piece of some type invented, and the shelf with doors was created to store it there at some point early. Found still inside was a wood framed pattern of Jesus' up side down as normal for such a thing.

As can kind of be sort of seen from the hinged side is the "ruby red side lens" on the operatable panel inside the box. (Box don't open on that side.) Noting that' it's hinged also, but all parts are for the most part sharp sheet meal in well bent, but not everything factory fitting right. More the question of what it is, there is a gas valve found next to the stage manager position.... perhaps was this a gas fixture given it's ruby lens but no mountings for carbon? Totally don't understand the fixture given it's box.

Seems more like a camera mounted box or projectector of some sort with a half mounted focuacable lamp to it's rear. Why in a box, and not able to focus or even get at the E-26 lamp socket mounted to a free floating or controllable arm in some way..... ?Some way of under seat way of making Jesus float from under the audience????

Why in the box anyway in mounting to even if incandescent lamp socket mouted to some form or movable arm that you cannot get to given the box. Cannot even change a lamp easily. Very shiny fixture though!

Lamp socket inside it has no fucal relation to the lenses currently in probably falling over or something.

Main questin, given photo camera optics and lens trains of the day, is this perhaps donated lenses and some sort of sheet metal worker invention so as to present "Jesus" as the slide within it? For the day?

Amazing!
 

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You'll find lots of stuff like this in old Scotish Rite consistories and Masonic temples - they use lots of imagery in their degree ceremonies. In the props room of our local SRC I found a Pepper's Ghost cabinet...

The front end of the projector you found is from either a 4x5 inch or 5x7 inch view camera. The lens, lens board, bellows and frame may have some financial value as most of those period items have long since gone to landfills, chewed up by varmints, or simply left to vandals...
 
In the props room of our local SRC I found a Pepper's Ghost cabinet... ??? What's that in going back tomorrow and again in a week? Where should I + Management look in respecting the tradition but thoroughly curious?

A shame in hearing today that the Aurora, IL Mason Lodge burnt down! Appairently had two main stages and a ball room. My crew joked about me loosing out on what lights the 1924 National Regestery of Buildings location / I lost out on getting. Yea, there is that, but more a building I have not yet explored in learning from, a production space lost, and worry about the current space worked at - it's also "got a lot in the building" to clear out and work to do before it becomes a good space to do productions in. Will take photo's but don't know if I will post. Scarry rooms in some areas which need attention - including the barber shop room with chairs which could be sold off for... horror movie usage... and the blow up balls in the sub-basement that seem to move from room to room.... And a bloody handprint on some duct work elsewhere!!! scary! in me no doubt adding to the self invented haunted legend at some point tomorrow. Don't know what I'll do beyond kicking about the balls in the basement more.. but something no doubt if board. I could re-arrage the toilets in the toilet storage room perhaps.

I will of course inform the Faculty Manager of any joke I'm playing on my Project Manager in our joke on him.
 
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Most of the Masonic/Scottish Rite temples were/are lovely buildings of exquisite design and craftsmanship. The one I was in last week has Tiffany stained glass and the "house lights" in the auditorium have Tiffany shades. 104 line sets with 5 inch spacing, almost every line set having a vintage drop used in a ritual or degree advancement ceremony. The building was purchased by a private investor who is leasing part of it back to the Rite but the main auditorium will become performance space (mostly music concerts). I'm trying to get the temple folks to claim the stained glass work for preservation, and to have them photographed so that display transparencies can be made for the auditorium. I see high SPL/lots of bass eventually damaging the originals.
 
Same 5" o.c. in this case - I believe on lineset spacing, but probably not that many linesets. Wow! Never counted but way over 60. Same with investor type and the Rite still being able to use it. Drops are gone as with most of the wire rope on hemp block linesets, but drops might be in storage. Props & scenery everywhere you go (in the way). Going to take a lot of cleaning out to make it a viable production place & up to fire code. Just sweeping or vaccuming top to bottom... absolutely necessary.

Rear of theater load in door 10' above the alley has to be un-bricked and a new larger door installed as first step, as with removing all electrics, replacing, networking, fiber optic data cable run as with com and DMX. Big debate about how much 208v verses 120v to wire in and how to handle the now single circut 120v floor pockets and various electrics. Engineers have to load rate the stage, house "mash pit" floor, grid and stage apron ceiling & figure out how to rig a 1st electric truss.

Asbestos fire curtain to be replaced - it is but is going to get tested, Pop up Kliegl foot lights to in theory install LED strips into etc. etc.
 
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