Magic Lantern presentations of Ten Nights in a Bar-Room

Magic Lantern slides are frequently referred to as "stereopticons". "Stereopticon" does not mean that the slides were stereoviews. The slides were magic lantern slides. Stereopticon refers to the projector which has two lenses, one on top of the other.

From Wikipedia: The term stereopticon has been widely misused to name a stereoscope. A stereopticon will not project or display stereoscopic/three-dimensional images. The two lenses are used to dissolve between images when projected. All stereopticons can be classified as magic lanterns, but not all magic lanterns are stereopticons.

Ten Nights in a Bar-Room was a favorite stereopticon show for ministers, church meetings as well as temperance lectures. Generally the short slide show was accompanied by a lecture. These presentations were very popular in the 1890's and early 1900's. The entertainment value was frequently enhanced when combined with other shows, in particular Uncle Tom's Cabin.

There were a number of different stereopticon sets of Ten Nights in a Bar-Room. The ones I know of are described below.

C. W. Briggs Company (Casper Warren) produced a set of illustrated slides. Briggs was located in Philadelphia. In 1872 it purchased the magic lantern business of Frederick Langingham. Most of the illustrations for Briggs were done by Joseph Boggs Beale (1841-1926). Beale drew thousands of lantern slides for Briggs as well as other firms. Some of these slides are pictured here and proper attribution is given to Dick Balzer's fabulous website--http://www.dickbalzer.com/Beale.466.0.html

In 1891 The Youth's Companion advertised Magic Lantern Slides that apparently were published by them. Set No. 1 Ten Nights in a Bar-Room contained six slides. The price per set was 50 cents. Other sets including Uncle Tom's Cabin, Bible Views, etc. were available. The Youth's Companion pointed out that Magic Lantern shows could be money-makers for young people. Items such as tickets and various projectors were also available for purchase.

A twelve slide stereopticon set was advertised by several companies in the mid 1890's. The McIntosh Battery and Optical Company in Chicago is a company that appears to have been a seller of everything projectable-projectors to slides. It noted in the 1895 catalogue that over 100,000 slides were in stock. It advertised a 12 slide set.
They were 50 cents plain or $1.50 colored. The slides were accompanied by a lecture.
1. Arrival at the Sickle and Sheaf
2. Joe Morgan's Little Mary asks her father to come home
3. Slade throws a glass at Joe Morgan and hits Mary
4. Joe Morgan suffering the horrors of delirium tremens
5. The death of Little Mary
6. Frank Slade and Tom Wilkins riding off on a spree
7. Willie Hammond induced by Harvey Green to Gamble
8. Harvey Green Stabs Willie hammond to daeth
9. Quarrel between Slade and his son Frank
10. Frank Slade kills his father with a bottle
11. Meeting of the citizens in the bar-room
12. The departure from the Sickle and Sheaf.

T. H. McAllister Company, Manufacturing Opticians appeared to advertise the above set also. It was a New York City firm located at 49 Nassau Street

(Credit to http://www.luikerwaal.com/newframe_uk.htm?/temperance01_uk.htm for the McAllister slide pictures).

In 1897 Sears, Roebuck advertised a set of four slides with twelve pictures. Sears sold a number of sets that could be shown individually or in conjunction with other sets.
This is set No. 5 which cost $1.00.

The slides:
28. Sickle and Sheaf
29. Joe Slade with Delirium Tremens
30. Willie Hammond Induced to Gamble
31. Frank Slade Kills His Father

This set was produced by York and Son, Optical Lantern Slide Makers in London. This 24 slide set was produced before 1891.

The York and Son set can be seen here: http://www.slides.uni-trier.de/set/index.php?id=3000709
The adapter to slide form was Ellis Reynolds.

Of note is that York and Son produced a 10 slide set of Arthur's The Pitcher of Cool Water. the date is unknown.

Another known set was manufactured in England by W. C. Hughes and contained 14 slides. It is advertised along with their extensive list in 1898 in the Photographie Dealer.