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Standard glass slide: 3¼ inches (83mm) by 4¼ inches (108mm)

Sample image of this type of slide – slide shown is unnumbered slide from Col·lecció Tomàs Mallol: miscellaneous and unidentified slides [3.25 inch square format] (miscellaneous: manufacturer unknown, at least 18 slides, n.d.)

standard glass slide
Museu del Cinema – Col·lecció Tomàs Mallol – reproduced by permission. Digital image © 2017 Museu del Cinema-Col·lecció Tomàs Mallol (Girona).
Technical description

Most surviving lantern slides are in one of the standard glass formats, which were used from around the 1870s until the 35mm slide format became popular from the middle of the 20th century.

The subject (usually a photograph or transfer, but sometimes hand-painted or drawn directly onto the glass) is produced on the inner surface of an 'image glass' sheet and protected by a 'cover glass' of the same size.

A paper 'mount' (also known as a 'mat' or 'mask') is usually inserted between the two glasses to frame the image, and the edges are sealed with a 'binding strip' of gummed paper or fabric. A few later designs (early to mid C20th) use a thin metal channel or strip as the edge binding.

Typical material(s)
glass / paper
Lucerna ID  5152061

Record created by Richard Crangle. Last updated 27 February 2020

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  Lucerna Magic Lantern Web Resource, lucerna.exeter.ac.uk, item 5152061. Accessed 28 March 2024.

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