|
MOVING PICTURES
Discover some amusing 19th century optical toys - and the origin of motion pictures in our magic gallery.
These optical curiosities are similar to a movie cartoon consisting of a series of still images, each showing a slightly different phase of a movement and presented to us in rapid succession.
|
 |
The Zoetrope
Invented in 1834 the zoetrope is a hollow drum with a series of slits on the upper half. A strip with the same number of slightly different images is placed in the lower half of the drum. When you spin the drum, the slits act as shutters to show the images one at a time. Each of the images shows a slightly different part of the movement which blend into a smooth motion. |
The Praxinoscope
In 1877 the praxinoscope succeeded the zoetrope by replacing its narrow viewing slits with an inner circle of mirrors. When you look in the mirrors you see a rapid succession of images producing the illusion of motion, brighter then the zoetrope as there are no light slits and hence no dark phase. |
 |
 |
The Mutoscope - what the butler saw
Our Mutoscope - manufactured by International Mutoscopes Reel Co, New York in about 1900.
It
contains a large flick book featuring two scantily clad models. The speed at which the action takes place depends on how quickly you turn the handle! |
 |
|
