Zoetrope, with 38 strips and 6 discs

Victorian Zoetrope, with 38 strips and 6 discs

The concept of the Zoetrope was first suggested in 1833 by the Austrian scientist Simon Stamfer (1792-1864), but it was not commercially exploited until 1867. It was a development of the Phenakistoscope (where a single visitor viewed images on a spinning disc in a mirror through slits in the disc). Using the Zoetrope, several viewers could look through slits in the drum simultaneously to see the drawings move and it became a popular optical toy.

Details

Category:
Cinematography
Object Number:
1975-325
Materials:
paper (fibre product), cardboard, metal (unknown), paint, tin plated and steel (metal)
type:
zoetrope
credit:
The National Media Museum, Bradford