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Wood and glass lanternslide with handmade wooden case. Slide is two circular glass panes fitted into walnut frame. The panes are painted in black and purple geometric designs. Opposite end has a crank handle that, when connected to the panes with cables, rotates the panes independently to create kaleidoscopic patterns when projected onto a wall. This slide is part of a collection used by Samuel Reader between 1866 and 1913. Reader was a Kansas farmer who was active in the early Topeka community. He built two homes, served in the Civil War, and wrote in a diary nearly every day for 64 years. Reader began painting slides in 1866 and continued throughout much of his life, holding magic lantern shows for the local community in his house and at church. This particular slide was purchased from William Young McAllister of Philadelphia. The pattern was called "Chinese fireworks" and the slide cost $5.00.
Creator: McAllister, William Young
Date: 1866
Item Number: 224948
Call Number: 1949.22.62
KSHS Identifier: 1949.22.62
Collections - Museum
Date - 1861-1869 - 1866
Objects and Artifacts - Communication Artifacts - Original Art - Transparency, Lantern-slide
People - Notable Kansans - Reader, Samuel James, 1836-1914
Places - Cities and towns - Indianola
Places - Cities and towns - Topeka
Places - Counties - Shawnee
Places - Other States - Pennsylvania - Philadelphia
Type of Material - Objects and Artifacts
http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/224948