Combined lever and rotary magic lantern slide, 19th century.

This combined lever and rotary magic lantern slide, three inches in diameter, is hand-painted and depicts a rural scene with a water mill beside a bridge. Magic lantern shows began towards the end of the 17th century but only became more widespread in the 19th century with the improvement in lamp sources. The shows could range from simple didactic presentations (a favourite topic was the demon drink) to sophisticated shows using double or triple lanterns.