Pluto on Ice Colored Lantern Slides

5C From Walt Disney’s Studios. Glass Hand-Colored Slides. Made in England. Mid 1900s

Notes

Colored lantern slides were an early form of visual entertainment popular from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s. These slides were created for use with a magic lantern, an early projector that illuminated images on a glass slide and projected them onto a screen or wall. Artists painted the images directly onto glass plates using transparent or semi-transparent paints, allowing the light to pass through the artwork when projected. The fine details were carefully painted by hand, often with layers of color to achieve the desired effect.

The process of creating these slides involved painting intricate scenes, portraits, or illustrations on the glass surface. Some slides were entirely painted, while others combined photographic images with hand-painted details for a more colorful result. Once completed, the slides were mounted in a frame to fit into a magic lantern, which was typically powered by a candle or oil lamp, later replaced by gas or electric lights. The projector would shine light through the slide, and a lens would enlarge and project the image onto a screen or wall.

"Pluto on Ice" is a 1939 animated short from Disney, featuring Pluto, Mickey Mouse's loyal dog, in a fun-filled winter adventure. The story revolves around Pluto as he enjoys ice-skating on a frozen pond. As Pluto attempts to skate, he faces a series of amusing challenges, such as slipping and sliding on the ice, and encounters with other animals like a cat. The colored lantern slides used in the film add a vibrant and cheerful touch to the snowy winter landscape, enhancing the comedic tone of the animation. This short captures the playful nature of Pluto while showcasing Disney's early animation techniques and its whimsical use of color.

Description

Twelve colored slides in two glass slides with navy cloth seal around the edges. Each slide is 1 1/2in x 5 1/4in painted in vibrant colors. Comes in original vintage pictorial box with original slide dialogue pages.