Zoetrope strip: The Little Umbrella Man

Zoetrope strip entitled 'The Little Umbrella Man' by the London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company. A pictorial representation of the saying "It's raining pitchforks", a phrase which was probably originated in Britain, but became popular in the USA.

A zoetrope strip is a strip of paper with a sequence of printed drawings representing a scene in motion which sits inside a the drum of a zoetrope. When the drum is rotated, the images provide a loop of continuous motion. This is a pictorial representation of the saying "It's raining pitchforks". This phrase apparently originated in Britain, but became popular in America, sometimes as "It's raining pitchforks and barn shovels / bullfrogs / darning needles / sawlogs / grindstones".