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A collection of vintage magic lantern glass slides produced by W. Butcher and Sons under the Primus brand. The slides comprise glass plates mounted within black card frames, featuring reproductions of celebrated artworks and Old Master paintings. These are housed in a fitted wooden storage box of dovetailed construction, containing internal slotted racks numbered from 1 to 100. The interior lid features a circular stamp reading PRIMUS BRITISH MADE and a paper index sheet with printed numbering and handwritten artist attributions. Artists listed on the index include Raphael, Murillo, Guido Reni, Reynolds, Holbein, Titian, Peter de Hooch, Charles Chaplin, Van Dyck, Dolci, Melozzo, Millet, Broucken, Madame Le Brun, Barbarelli, Correggio, Giotto, Greuze, Liotard, Andrea del Sarto, Da Vinci, and Perrin. Individual slides feature printed identification labels on the top edges of the card frames. Transcribed titles include Whistler, Symphony in White No. 2, The Virgin and Child of Seville, The Tribute Money, A Little English Prince, The Pretty Milkmaid, Portrait of Andrea del Sarto, Rembrandt, Portrait of Himself, Christ’s Head Crowned with Thorns, Saint Michael subdues Satan, Turner, The Fighting Temeraire, Musical Trio, and The Chocolate Girl. Some labels include reference codes such as 34.18, 221, and 526.
Condition report:
The collection is incomplete, with numerous empty slots in the 100-capacity storage box. The wooden box is structurally sound but shows surface wear, scuffing, and a layer of dust. The paper index on the interior lid is yellowed and aged. The slides exhibit light edge wear to the card mounts and surface dust, though the glass plates appear generally clear and free of significant cracks.
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