Zoetropes and Praxinoscopes

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From first scientific toys that used animated images to modern movies, retinal persistence has been fundamental to fooling the mind into believing that a series of static images are in motion.

In 1834, the English mathematician George Horner proposed a practical apparatus based on the Phenakistoscope of Plateau and Stampfer (1830). It eliminated the need for a mirror and it enabled several people at the same time to view the moving pictures - an advance over the single spectator of the earlier toy.

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Strong colourful designs characterise this Art Deco version of the popular Zoetrope. Beautifully made, it will delight as well as educate.

Size: 230 mm high x 165 mm diameter

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A smaller version of the Zoetrope that demonstrates its principles just as well as the larger version. Several people can watch simultaneously and see how a series of static images can produce the illusion of movement. A useful educational toy as well as a beautiful object.

Height 170 mm, diameter 120 mm.

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This scientific toy with animated images also relies on retinal persistence to make us believe we are seeing images in motion.

The praxinoscope was patented by the Frenchman Emile Reynaud in 1877, who was looking to overcome the deficiencies of the zoetrope, which enjoyed enormous popularity at the time. His apparatus was the first to eliminate the distorted view of the images in movement caused by insufficient light passing through the small slots of the zoetrope. This improvement in the quality of the image resulted in immediate popularity for the praxinoscope.

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This beautiful version of the Praxinoscope is based on Emile Reynaud's design and makes a delightful conversation piece as well as a useful illustration of the type of toy that amused earlier generations.

The outside shows different traditional tales from the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen, such as Snow White, Hansel and Gretel and Cinderella.

Size: 210 mm high x 210 mm diameter

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The Phenaquistiscope, despite the difficulty of its name, is in fact an amusing toy. The XIX Century Belgian physicist, Joseph Plateau, invented this instrument which is based on the persistence of the retina.

The Phenaquistiscope is therefore one of the first applications of the principle of cinema, the illusion of motion from static images using the Plateau effect.

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The Taumatrope is an optical instrument which was produced for the first time by John Ayrton Paris in England in 1824. His aim was to demonstrate the persistence of the retina.

It contains a disc with two different images on each side and two tied strings. Pulling the strings causes the Traumatrope to spin and the images on the two sides combine to form one picture.

The taumatrope was the precursor to other instruments such as zootrope or praxinoscope, which are precursors of the cinemascope.

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The Myriorama was a very well-known entertainment during the XIX century. The first published Myriorama is dated in 1830 in Leipzig.

This game contains eighteen illustrations which can be mixed together randomly and will show thousands of different landscapes. Even in the modern world of computer games its simple approach still has the ability to delight.

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A smaller version of the Miriorama with 24 cards of Italian Scenery.

In whichever order these twenty-four cards are laid side by side, the result will be a perfectly harmonious landscape. 1686553615927922354187744 possible combinations are claimed! Italian Scenery by Clark published by Samuel Leigh.

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The Anamorphosis was a very popular instrument during the XIX century. It consists of hidden figures appearing when reflected by a curved surface, such as a cylinder or cone.

Although the term "anamorphosis" was first used in the XVII century, Leonardo Da Vinci described it in his notes.

This example includes 24 lovely patterned cards size 8.25'' square, a silvered cylinder, a silvered cone & an instruction booklet.

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The Kaleidoscope was invented by David Brewster in 1816. In the following years it became very well known across Europe.

It consists of a cylinder whose interior is filled with small portions of coloured glass. The reflection of these pieces on three flat mirrors creates endless combinations with different shapes when the tube is rotated.

This Kaleidoscope is actually a copy of an original Kaleidoscope dated in 1874 and found by "Antiquus" at an Antique Market in Prague.

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Studies of binocular vision go back to Euclid, but it was Sir Charles Wheatstone, in 1838, who invented the "stereoscope" an instrument which allowed drawings to be viewed from two different angles, giving the impression of three dimensions.

The development of photography transformed the stereoscope from a simple scientific curiosity into one of the most popular "toys" of the bourgeoisie after 1850. In 1851, during the Great Exhibition in London, a French company presented Queen Victoria with one, which ensured its popularity. This model is a reproduction of the one created by Oliver Wendell Holmes in 1862.

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The clapperboard, as part of the photographic equipment used to synchronize sound and motion pictures, was invented at the beginnings of the 20th century.

A typical clapperboard consists of a double board or slate, generally black and white, with a hinged piece of wood attached. Details of the shot being filmed are written on the board: date and name of the film, director´s name, producer, sequence number, scene and take number.

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A view of the Crystal Palace opening ceremony by Queen Victoria. Peep through the hole for a magical view.

The case is 15.2 cm x 19.0 cm (6" x 7 1/2") and the 7-panel peep-show opens to 50 cm or (20")