William Inglis Morse Lantern Slide Collection

Collection consists of lantern slides of travels in 1926 and 1927 (and possibly other years), as well as didactic material possibly used for lecturing. The travels appear to be those of the William Inglis Morse family (as marked on some of the slides), of Lynn, MA. His daughter, Susan Morse Hilles, went on to be an art collector and donor to the Yale Art Gallery. Her papers were donated to the Harvard University Library, and include travel journals that may be related to these slides. William Inglis Morse was an Episcopal priest, and author of many books, several of them accounts of his travels. These slides may in part have been used for edifying lectures related to those travel accounts. The images are both purchased views of standard sights (the pyramids of Egypt, the Alhambra, etc.), and candid photos taken of family, friends, employees, and local color. Many of these are interesting as a record of a time, place, and the culture of the Grand Tour. Unfortunately, not all of the views are identified. Some, such as those of gothic cathedrals (including some of World War I damage), may be recognizable to an expert on the subject. The garden and landscape scenes will probably remain obscure.