Zoetrope, turned base of black wood with underside covered in felt

PART OF:
The Kodak Museum Collection

Zoetrope. Turned base of black wood with underside covered in felt. Black painted exterior drum with yellowed white interior. Spindle fixed to drum, bush in base.

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
Collection:
Kodak Collection
Object Number:
1990-5036/3374
Materials:
wood (unidentified), felt, metal (unknown) and paper (fibre product)
Measurements:
overall: 347 mm 286 mm,
type:
zoetrope
credit:
The Kodak Collection at the National Media Museum, Bradford