9. Travel Shows
Gold Found in Illustrated Lecture
The “Illustrated lecture,” became the staple of the lantern industry by 1890, largely supplanting the earlier variety format for professional magic lantern shows, and amateur shows as well. Travel became the largest subject area.
This large poster (17 x 23”) for an illustrated lecture was produced by Sears, Roebuck & Co., which sold a package for the aspiring lecturer containing 100 copies of the poster, along with a lantern and slides. In 1908 Sears produced similar advertising material and slides for 13 other subjects. The fact that a mass-marketer like Sears found it worthwhile to offer such a variety of sets is another indication of the wide-spread popularity of lantern lecturing by amateurs.
The slide image, by the Keystone View Co., is the kind that may have been used in the Alaska show. The miners panning for gold are trying to protect themselves from the ferocious Alaskan mosquitoes.
Archival Notes
