shadow ball
- Made:
- 1800s in China
A 19th century brass chinese shadow ball, the bird and fauna engraved ball enclosing a gimballed oil lamp which remains upright and castsa shadows across the wall of a darkened room when rolled or rotated.
The shadow show originated in the Far East. Simple devices for projecting shadows included the Chinese perforated metal ball and the Japanese magic mirror. The filigree patterns on the ball are thrown upon the wall by means of a lighted candle inside it which remains upright when the ball is rolled.
Details
- Category:
- Cinematography
- Object Number:
- 2019-253
- Materials:
- brass (copper, zinc alloy)
- Measurements:
-
overall: 75 mm, .12 kg
- type:
- shadow ball