A hand-painted, large format magic lantern slide, painted by W R Hill and shown at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, London in 1875.

This slide is from 'Gabriel Grub and the Grim Goblin', a popular tale shown at the Royal Polytechnic Institution over Christmas 1875 based on 'The Story of The Goblin Who Stole A Sexton' by Charles Dickens which appeared in 'The Pickwick Papers'.

The Royal Polytechnic Institution in Regent Street, London, was renowned for its spectacular magic lantern shows employing as many as six huge lanterns projecting large, hand-painted slides eight inches (20.3 cm) by five inches (12.7 cm).

A hand-painted, large format magic lantern slide depicting a scene from the fairy tale 'Ali Alum', painted by an unknown artist and shown at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, London in about 1860.

In a scene from the fairy tale, this grandly-dressed figure is being escorted through a market place.

The Royal Polytechnic Institution in Regent Street, London, was renowned for its spectacular magic lantern shows employing as many as six huge lanterns projecting large, hand-painted slides eight inches (20.3 cm) by five inches (12.7 cm).

A moral tale of the evils of the pursuit of material wealth, 'The Heart of Stone' was written by the German poet and author Wilhelm Hauff (1802-1827).

The Royal Polytechnic Institution in Regent Street, London, was renowned for its spectacular magic lantern shows employing as many as six huge lanterns projecting large, hand-painted slides eight inches (20.3 cm) by five inches (12.7 cm).

A hand-painted, large format magic lantern slide bearing the title of the German fairy tale, 'Das Kalte Herz', or 'The Heart of Stone', used at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, London.

A moral tale of the evils of the pursuit of material wealth the fairy story 'The Heart of Stone' was written by the German poet and author Wilhelm Hauff (1802-1827).

The Royal Polytechnic Institution in Regent Street, London, was renowned for its spectacular magic lantern shows employing as many as six huge lanterns projecting large, hand-painted slides eight inches (20.3 cm) by five inches (12.7 cm).

A hand-painted, large format magic lantern slide depicting a scene from the German fairy tale 'The Heart of Stone' with the hero Peter Munck saying goodbye to his wife, painted by an unknown artist and shown at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, London.

A moral tale of the evils of the pursuit of material wealth the fairy story 'The Heart of Stone' was written by the German poet and author Wilhelm Hauff (1802-1827).

The Royal Polytechnic Institution in Regent Street, London, was renowned for its spectacular magic lantern shows employing as many as six huge lanterns projecting large, hand-painted slides eight inches (20.3 cm) by five inches (12.7 cm).

A hand-painted, large format magic lantern slide depicting a scene from the German fairy tale 'The Heart of Stone', painted by an unknown artist and shown at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, London.

A moral tale of the evils of the pursuit of material wealth the fairy story 'The Heart of Stone' was written by the German poet and author Wilhelm Hauff (1802-1827).

The Royal Polytechnic Institution in Regent Street, London, was renowned for its spectacular magic lantern shows employing as many as six huge lanterns projecting large, hand-painted slides eight inches (20.3 cm) by five inches (12.7 cm).

A hand-painted, large format magic lantern slide depicting a scene from ‘The Adventures of Baron Münchausen’, painted by an unknown artist and shown at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, London.

The Adventures are a series of fantastical stories told by Baron Münchausen, a boastful man given to wild exaggeration. They were first published in 1785 in a booklet called 'Baron Münchausen's Narrative of His Marvelous Travels and Campaigns in Russia' written by Rudolph Erich Raspe (1737-1794).

The Royal Polytechnic Institution in Regent Street, London, was renowned for its spectacular magic lantern shows employing as many as six huge lanterns projecting large, hand-painted slides eight inches (20.3 cm) by five inches (12.7 cm).

A hand-painted, large format magic lantern slide depicting a scene from the German fairy tale 'The Heart of Stone', painted by an unknown artist and shown at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, London.

A moral tale of the evils of the pursuit of material wealth, the fairy story 'The Heart of Stone' was written by the German poet and author Wilhelm Hauff (1802-1827).

The Royal Polytechnic Institution in Regent Street, London, was renowned for its spectacular magic lantern shows employing as many as six huge lanterns projecting large, hand-painted slides eight inches (20.3 cm) by five inches (12.7 cm).

A hand-painted, large format magic lantern slide showing a scene from the German fairy tale 'The Heart of Stone', painted by an unknown artist and shown at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, London.

A moral tale of the evils of the pursuit of material wealth the fairy story 'The Heart of Stone' was written by the German poet and author Wilhelm Hauff (1802-1827).

The Royal Polytechnic Institution in Regent Street, London, was renowned for its spectacular magic lantern shows employing as many as six huge lanterns projecting large, hand-painted slides eight inches (20.3 cm) by five inches (12.7 cm).

A hand-painted, large format magic lantern slide depicting a scene from the German fairy tale 'The Heart of Stone', painted by an unknown artist and shown at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, London.

A moral tale of the evils of the pursuit of material wealth the fairy story 'The Heart of Stone' was written by the German poet and author Wilhelm Hauff (1802-1827).

The Royal Polytechnic Institution in Regent Street, London, was renowned for its spectacular magic lantern shows employing as many as six huge lanterns projecting large, hand-painted slides eight inches (20.3 cm) by five inches (12.7 cm).

A hand-painted, large format magic lantern slide depicting a scene from the German fairy tale 'The Heart of Stone', painted by an unknown artist and shown at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, London in about 1860.

A moral tale of the evils of the pursuit of material wealth the fairy story 'The Heart of Stone' was written by the German poet and author Wilhelm Hauff (1802-1827).

The Royal Polytechnic Institution in Regent Street, London, was renowned for its spectacular magic lantern shows employing as many as six huge lanterns projecting large, hand-painted slides eight inches (20.3 cm) by five inches (12.7 cm).

A hand-painted, large format magic lantern slide depicting a ghost appearing at a banquet in a medieval hall, painted by an unknown artist and shown at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, London in about 1860.

This dramatic scene shows a ghost appearing to a group of terrified revelers. The walls of the hall are hung with banners and suits of armour. The scene is possibly from Shakespeare's 'Macbeth'.

The Royal Polytechnic Institution in Regent Street, London, was renowned for its spectacular magic lantern shows employing as many as six huge lanterns projecting large, hand-painted slides eight inches (20.3 cm) by five inches (12.7 cm).

A hand-painted, large format magic lantern slide depicting a group of goblins, painted by W R Hill, and shown at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, London in 1875.

This slide is from 'Gabriel Grub and the Grim Goblin', a popular tale shown at the Royal Polytechnic Institution over Christmas 1875 based on 'The Story of The Goblin Who Stole A Sexton' by Charles Dickens which appeared in 'The Pickwick Papers'.

The Royal Polytechnic Institution in Regent Street, London, was renowned for its spectacular magic lantern shows employing as many as six huge lanterns projecting large, hand-painted slides eight inches (20.3 cm) by five inches (12.7 cm).

A hand-painted, large format magic lantern slide depicting a scene from 'The Adventures of Baron Münchhausen', painted by an unknown artist ad shown at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, London in about 1860.

The Adventures are a series of fantastical stories told by Baron Münchausen, a boastful man given to wild exaggeration. The stories were first published in 1785 in a booklet called 'Baron Münchausen's Narrative of His Marvelous Travels and Campaigns in Russia' written by Rudolph Erich Raspe (1737-1794).

The Royal Polytechnic Institution in Regent Street, London, was renowned for its spectacular magic lantern shows employing as many as six huge lanterns projecting large, hand-painted slides eight inches (20.3 cm) by five inches (12.7 cm).