TO CATCH A SUNBEAM. Victorian reality through the magic lantern.

25x15cm. First edition. The combining of sentiment with social message in the lantern slide shows produced by Victorian charities and temperance societies to illustrate the evils of poverty, unemployment, slum living conditions, drunkenness, gambling and neglect of children among the poorer classes. 144pp with numerous monochrome, colour and other illustrations. Hardback / hard cover: black boards, backstrip titled in silver. Top- and fore-edges of text-block faintly, sparsely and streakily foxed. Bookseller's small label at lower inner corner of front pastedown. VERY GOOD copy in VERY GOOD unclipped dust jacket a little rubbed and nicked at upper corners of rear panel.