Paper lantern or Lampion

[Charles Kaiser]

Hallo Kameraden,
I hope, I choose the right Forum. I am looking for Paper lantern or Lampions with patriotical motives.
Pics are known ?
A "how to make" Intruction ?
Material ?

[crabby]

Re: Paper lantern or Lampion

Guten Morgan,
I was unable to find any references to paper lanterns with patriotic symbols or motifs. I looked in Google Books and The Library of Congress. In Google Books, most references to paper lanterns between 1850-1865 had to do with the Orient, Japan or India. I did find several drawings at the LOC.



Two views of a paper lantern, full and with the paper collapsed, 1878


Print shows travelers with paper lanterns, walking at night through a small grove of pine trees. Date Created/Published: [between 1844 and 1848]

Unfortunately, no connection to the American CW.

[Stonewall_Greyfox]

Re: Paper lantern or Lampion

Charles,

It may take me a week or more....but somewhere I've got a book with patriotic PRE-WAR motiffs on paper lanterns including none other than George Washington. I believe the date though is significantly earlier than the war, say around 1800. Standby.

Paul B.

[Charles Kaiser]

Re: Paper lantern or Lampion

Paul,
please can you look for them, its ok, that it is earlier than war, I am looking for the shape of paper lanterns of the civil war, and although of the time frame from around 1800 too for my Friends.

A friend of mine found 2 pics, one from a New York Unit, where this Items hung into trees in the background, unfotunately he didn't saved the pics...

Look at this and scroll down : Charles Lincoln Lantern

http://dl.lib.brown.edu/lincoln/objects/browseobjects.html

[brown]

Re: Paper lantern or Lampion

Sadly, I did not get any pictures, but have seen them with eagles, Washington, & a poor representation of Lincoln from the 1860 election.

[Elaine Kessinger]

Re: Paper lantern or Lampion

You might inquire of the folks at Harper's Ferry NHP. For their Election Day 1860 event, which they hold often, they have had volunteers make a great many patriotic items to decorate the event. I seem to remember a few lanterns being among them, but may be mistaken.

[NoahBriggs]

Re: Paper lantern or Lampion

No, you are not mistaken. They took a couple of regular lanterns and inserted images in the same slots as the glass, so when the lantern was lit you can see the image. I have a picture of one of the lanterns, just not as an online image.

[AZReenactor]

Re: Paper lantern or Lampion

These photos of a lantern being sold through an online auction might be of some help..

... a Lincoln paper and cardboard parade lantern. The lantern is a candle lantern.
The lantern is of the folding type. It measures 11 inches high not including the metal bail when it is in the open condition. It is 8 inches in diameter. The sides are all paper and open as an accordion would. The bottom is cardboard. The interior of this cardboard has a metal tin rim for holding a candle. The top of the lantern also is cardboard and cut out in the middle. This cardboard top holds a light metal bail for hanging the lantern.
The paper sides of the lantern are just terrific. It is in red white and blue. The red has stars in it that go all the way around the lantern and are on either side of the blue center. The blue center has the American eagle on one side and "UNION" on the other. The eagle, UNION and stars have been been reverse stenciled.
The condition of this lantern is in remarkable state of preservation. The red has faded somewhat and there are 3 separations at the edge of the accordion folds. There are no tears in the paper and the lantern has all of it's original integrity.
There is an identical lantern, except for the placement of the stencils at the Gettysburg Museum in Gettysburg national battle museum at the battlefield. (note in the photos of the lantern at the museum you can't see the word "UNION" but it is there on the other side). This display is for the 1860 presidential campaign, again please see photos.

[Charles Kaiser]

Re: Paper lantern or Lampion

Hello Troy,
yes this pics helps a lot, I remember, when I was young, I carried similar lanterns on our German St. Nicholas celebrations, and often enough, you see weeping Children, when their lantern had burn down, not beeing careful enough or caused by the older children ......

Thanks a lot!!

[Drygoods]

Re: Paper lantern or Lampion

Troy, You are amazing! How did you know that I was looking for paper lanterns for our event next August! Now, thanks to all here, I have some ideas of what I'm looking for, or need to recreate. Many kind thanks to all.