Ernst Plank ‘CLIMAX’ magic lantern
An 1880s vintage toy magic lantern for circular glass slides, from the factory of Ernst Plank of Nuremberg, Germany. This is believed to be a variation of the company’s ‘Climax’ lantern, and is of all-brass construction with a spherical lamp house, single-wick illuminant, decorative front standard and sprung slide carrier with twin rollers designed to house 6” glass slides. There is a pressed brass makers plate to the front, bearing the distinctive Ernst Plank trademark with winged wheel and the initials ‘E.P.’ below. 30cm high, 24cm from front to back. Ernst Plank was one of Germany’s largest lantern makers, at its peak producing around 150,000 lanterns annually, many for the British market. SOLD.