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'.

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).