Spectacles

9965 — 1890-1896. Green printed paper wraps 40pp. used 8vo contents detached and loose but complete. First page headed "Programme" followed by "1 Puss in Boots" with brief narrative with dialogue of nine slides 2.5 pp. Also "Weal Pies" just title - just one slide Jack the Giant Killer with narrative then 7 titles reflecting single slide subject including "Football Player" "Policeman and Cook" etc "The Bottle" 19 slides with narrative "The Arctic Expedition" 6 slides from No.1 'The ship is now frozen in the Arctic Ocean' to no.6 'An adventure with a polar bear and they are too young to kill it". Further individual slides followed by 13 for "Gulliver's Travels" followed by further individual slides concluding with one entitled "Good Night". This programme totals 14 pp. The following Programme is dated 29 Jan. 1890 and comprises a list of 42 subjects in two columns including "Arctic Expedition" but with several differences from the first programme. Perhaps part of the second programme title "Views in the Polar Regions" 6 slides described including one of inhabitants dresssed for the cold unloading a ship and landing cargo". One description "party of explorers travelling on the ice" has a line through it and the word "Funeral" added in red ink- I can offer no explanation. This is followed by a sequence of descriptions of slides with titles like "Salt Mines""Graham's Island" "Geyser" "Aurora". Other "Programmes" follow dating 1890 to 1896 some edited with ticks or crossings out including same or similar titles lengthy description of the 9 slides that make up "Red Riding Hood". Several programmes have a total number of slides and/or timing e.g. "60 Pictures occupying 1 hour". At the other end of the Notebook there is a "List of Slides" titles with numbers grand total with further technical information about shows "118 Pictures 1 hymn 1 Song Drawing slide . . . 12 ft fron Lens to Sheet 3 ft from Lens to Floor Long side of sheet across. Lantern 3.3 from floor Articles underlined Lantern slides Smoked Glass Sheet and Frame . . .items needed . . .Whistle Wedges . . ." Although presumably an amateur the show-man was obviously professional and thorough in his preparations as this manuscript reveals. The subjects also strongly indicate public taste and Arctic Exploraration seems to be a dominant interest at the time. [1890-1896] paperback