Bidspirit auction | Six Vintage Glass Lantern Slides

Six Vintage Glass Lantern Slides Depicting Diamond Cutting and Famous Gemstones - Six vintage silver gelatin glass lantern slides focused on industrial gemology and the diamond cutting process. The subject matter includes photographic studies of hands operating specialized machinery, specifically watchmakers or jewelers lathes configured for diamond faceting. One slide features a detailed diagram showing the process of sawing a rough diamond octahedron, rounding the corners, and polishing it into a standard 58-facet brilliant cut. Another negative-style slide illustrates various gemstone cuts including emerald, square, marquise, baguette, brilliant, and single cut. A composite slide depicts six historical gemstones labeled Cullinan IV, Koh-i-Noor, Catherine the Greats Sapphire, The Hope Diamond, The Star of the East, and a Large Square Emerald. Each slide is constructed of a photographic emulsion on glass, protected by a second glass plate and bound with black tape. Two slides bear rectangular paper labels with the numbers 10 and 13 written in red ink. Approximately 3.25 x 4 inches per slide. The tape bindings exhibit significant age-related wear, including fraying, peeling, and adhesive failure, particularly notable on the composite gem slide. The glass plates are generally intact but show moderate surface dust, minor scuffs, and occasional spotting to the emulsion consistent with vintage lantern slides.