Magic lantern slide showing a portrait of Charles Dickens

A magic lantern slide featuring a photograph of Charles Dickens (1812-1870) shown at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, London over Christmas 1875. This slide was used to open the presentation of 'Gabriel Grub and the Grim Goblin' a production based on 'The Story of The Goblin Who Stole A Sexton' by Charles Dickens which appeared in 'The Pickwick Papers'.

A magic lantern slide featuring a photograph of Charles Dickens (1812-1870).

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).