Like the delicate paper disks seen spinning behind the credit roll for Masterpiece Theater's Little Dorrit, miniature thaumatropes are two-dimensional toys, as creative and colorful as their crafters' imagination allowed. Sizes, shape, and design all vary from one thaumatrope to another, along with the choice of image.
The Thaumatrope's Design
The original images were a popular novelty in the 1800's, a staple of Victorian paper toys. Easily made by hand or from simple designs, thaumatropes were intriguing for children of the day, with their easy construction. A bit of paper, a piece of string, an image simply drawn by hand --these were the basic materials needed to make one.
Each side bears a different, coordinating design: when the thaumatrope is spun, the images marry together, forming a single picture. Whether it's a bird in a cage (the most basic of thaumatrope designs) or a unique image like a Christmas tree and its ornaments, the same principle creates an optical illusion that still intrigues modern-day crafters.
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