Paxinoscope-Théatre

This famous optical toy was introduced by the French scientist Emile Reynaud in 1877. The praxinoscope is a further development of the Horner’s Zoetrope. Like the earlier device, it used a strip of pictures placed around the inner surface of a spinning cylinder. The praxinoscope improved on the zoetrope by replacing its narrow viewing slits with an inner circle of mirrors, placed so that the reflections of the pictures appeared more or less stationary in position as the wheel turned. Someone looking in the mirrors would therefore see a rapid succession of images producing the illusion of motion, with a brighter and less distorted picture than the zoetrope offered. The wax paper covered cardboard box with lid opening to stand at a right angle to the base, an opening is cut into the lid for viewing. The praxinoscope with candle and shade holder is screwed into the base of the box. Between the lid and the praxinoscope there is a chromolithographed proscenium with glass opening held at a slight angle. On the interior of the lid there is chromolithographed scenery which is seen reflected in the glass as if they were really in position behind the stage-front. At the same time the moving figure in the praxinoscope is seen through the glass and thus appears to be in motion on a stage provided with scenery. Of the 20 existing strips with black background the following 6 are included: Les Bulles de Savants (soap bubbles), Les Clowns, Le Repas of chickens (feeding the chicken), Les Chiens Savants (the docile dogs), Le Jeu de Corde (cord jumping), Le Jeu de Volant (badminton) and Le Steeple-Chase. The strips are partially torn and bend but intact. The lithographed instructions on the box lid, on the mirror rim and on the proscenium are complete and in good condition, the pink rash paper is original and like the rest of the box in good condition. The drum was repainted and the paper shade and additional interiors are color copi