Quite a few museums these days are thinking in terms of magic. They (we) are tired of too didactic and explanatory exhibitions. They (we) want to put the magic back into the museums again.
Maybe therefore I noticed Michael Pritchard’s inquiry on rete (my favourite nerd list):
From: michael@mpritchard.com
To: rete@maillist.ox.ac.uk
Date: Sun, 18 Nov 2012 15:46:31 +0000
Subject: [rete] Gallery of Natural Magic
I wondered if anyone list reader knows anything about the Gallery of Natural Magic which was, I suspect, was in London. It exhibited scientific/philosophical instruments in 1839. I cannot find out where it was and when it was in existence and who the proprietor was. Any help would be appreciated.Regards
Dr Michael Pritchard
www.mpritchard.com
www.britishphotohistory.ning.com
To which “Giles” answers:
It was at the Colosseum, Regent’s Park. Ran 15 June to 19 Oct 1839. According to the newspapers a Dr Faxton or Paxton was the projector and proprietor, assisted by Edward M. Clarke, mathematical instrument maker of Lowther Arcade – although Iwan Morus in several of his books says William Leithead superintended it. (Morus refers to it as the Department of Natural Magic). Larry Schaaf mentions it in his book on Talbot’s Notebooks P & Q.
