Votes for Louis Napoleon as President, Paper Trick, 1851

Description

A small handwritten trick paper recording the figures from one of Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte's plebiscites — "Votes for Louis Napoleon as Presid[ent]. 7119791 / 1119. majority / minority" — followed by the instruction "Hold this to the light and look on it on the other side." When the paper is held against a light source and viewed from the reverse, the digits resolve into the word EMPEREUR. On reverse reads 'Kings College London, 3 Nov 1851'. The third page in the accompanying image displays the paper with light shone through.