1887 - Mirror phenakistoscope with sequences of drawings

Mirror phenakistoscope with sequences of drawings “Optical Magic Disc”, invented around 1832 by Joseph Plateau and Simon Stampfer, hand-labelled, annotated and dated “… probably in the year 1830 … reproduced by J. v. Kujawa the Elder”, turned wooden handle with brass mount, to which is attached a large cardboard disc with viewing slits and a smaller interchangeable picture disc featuring coloured, concentrically arranged sequences of drawings, which, when held in front of a mirror and viewed through the slits, create the illusion of movement, plus eight further picture discs, mostly with illustrations on both sides; a rare ‘wheel of life’/‘wonder wheel’; the mount is old and soldered; the discs show occasional crease marks or are partially slightly stained in places; otherwise in good condition for its age; L 35 cm, D of each picture disc 18.5 cm.