Antique J.B. Colt New York 1893 Magic Lantern/Projector Darlot Paris MINT

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Antique J.B. Colt New York 1893 Magic Lantern/Projector Darlot Paris MINT:
$2450.00

Estate Sale find.
This is a an absolutely STUNNING Antique J.B. Colt & Co. Magic Lantern With a Darlot Petzval Lens.4 Generations of professors that hailed from New England and summered in Nantucket had lived in the house.
Let me say this. IF you could find a more complete and unmolested time capsule condition Colt piece you should buy it! The only thing missing (as if you would use it...) is theCARofferE-FEED ACETYLENE GENERATOR. Dangerous to use and most likely discarded when the electricity was added. You can find one and they aren\'t all that expensive.
This is the height of artistic engineering and design that in my opinion is elevated to art.
This is in MINTY condition with NO damage issues whatsoever; maybe a speck of dust perhaps a light scuff. Functioning PERFECTLY.
A collector\'s dream vintage slide projector. Great for a museum, movie set, living room or power office.
Originally designed to use Acetylene Gas Colt added Lime tips to the burner jets (there are 8 of them which I have never seen...) to create an intense light. The light chamber has a beautiful blued tempered patina from use. Almost like a gun barrel.
NO damage issues. NO repairs. NO pitting or rust to ANY of the metal parts whatsoever.
Original Concave Silver Reflector and Dovetailed case. Get this; I took it out of the box like this and didn\'t clean it. It simply didn\'t need it. The Leather Bellows are perfect and pliable. This was the top of the line model with the Surgical grade chromium finish and Black Enamel.
The French Darlot Lens works flawlessly and doesn\'t have as much as a scuff on either ends of the glass with the original leather lens cap. The machining on this is remarkable; the lens threads perfectly to 90 degrees to show the name on the top and the focus ring on the bottom. The screws are aligned with great care everywhere. Original Wooden Mahogany Slide holder.
If you read the Patent application this expands and you can raise the bellows to reduce the flicker typical on Magic lanterns of the time. I\'m not an expert by any means so please ask if you have Questions. Also if you have something to add that is helpful; by all means please do so.
At some point when Electricity became available and practical a Brass EARLY General Electric Socket was added with wire. Sorry no bulb an easy fix. I had to see this work so I put a 100 watt bulb in and WOW....I was blown away. There were 41 slides from Boston and the New England area in the 1890\'s so I used a couple.
These I will list separately. They have been friends for a long time and it seems unfair to separate them now but there are some KILLER EARLY images of a Prison ship, Concord Bridge, A great picnic scene, early Bicycles, 4 Masted TALL Sailing ship with Tugboat tender Old corner Bookstore in Boston Monuments, Union Square etc,. Some RARE one of a kind 4X3 Silver Gelatin to the USS Helena a Wilmington Class Gunboat Commissioned in 1897 so PLEASE look.
The piece fits perfectly in the original dovetailed wooden box (the leather strap is broken but intact held in place by 2 brass screws; a new strap is an easy thing and the Box has 2 locks at the top. The keys are missing but No damage and SQUEAKY CLEAN with No odors whatsoever.
Someone loved this and it shows with the great care they took. These were a rich man\'s item costing up to 6 months average wages in some cases.
This is a Museum quality and condition piece.
FULLY FUNCTIONAL AFTER 120+ YEARS sure says something!!!!!
Please look at the pictures as they ARE of the item you will receive and I promise you will smile when you see and handle this.
As good as it gets.....