Philip Carpenter was an optical instrument maker in London during the first part of the 19th century. He gained initial fame by making and selling kaleidoscopes during the craze that followed their invention by Sir David Brewster. In 1823 he introduced an improved magic lantern and a new process for making slides.

Carpenter's process was a combination of two existing techniques: the firing of glass enamel paint to color stained glass, which had been adopted for early magic lantern slides before watercolor, oil or colored varnish became preferred (Santos 2023, p. 138;  Hecht 1979, p. 3) and the transfer of decorations to porcelain from etched copper plates.

In Carpenter's process, the outlines of the subject were etched, then the plate was inked with black enamel to fill the outlines. The inked plate was coated with a thin sheet of glue. The glue was removed, taking the enamel with it, and placed against the glass slide to transfer the outline. The slide was then fired in a kiln at a low temperature. The outline was colored in by hand with glass enamel paint and the slide was fired again (Hecht 1979, p. 3).

After Carpenter's early death, the business was taken over by his sister, who partnered with Carpenter's foreman, William Westley. The firm Carpenter & Westley stayed in business for another 30 years.

Slider was a common name for magic lantern panorama slides in the 19th century. Panorama slides were much wider than they were high. To view the entire slide, the projectionist had to slide it through the projector, either continuously or stopping at individual subjects.