Phenakistoscope Disc of Acrobat, Horse and Clown

Phenakistoscope (Heliocinegraph) disc of an acrobat riding a horse and a jumping clown, by Forester and Nicol, published by John Dunn.

The phenakisticope was invented almost simultaneously by the Belgian physicist Joseph Plateau and the Austrian professor of practical geometry Simon Stampfer. It is held with the printed side of the disc facing a mirror. When the disc is spun the viewer looks at its reflection through the apertures on the disc's circumference and the drawings appear to move.

Details

Category:
Cinematography
Object Number:
1934-142/1
Materials:
cardboard
Measurements:
overall: 253 mm,
type:
optical toy
credit:
The National Media Museum, Bradford