The Zoetrope was such an innovative and important invention to the history of film making, that Francis Ford Coppola named his company Zoetrope Studios. This optical toy was quite popular in the 1860s and 1870s and the forerunner of the film camera. The drum is spun - the faster the rate, the smoother the illusion of motion. A viewer can look through the wall of the zoetrope from any point around it, and see a rapid progression of images. This Zoetrope is complete with six original two-sided picture strips, for a total of twelve “films”. The drum (9.5” diameter) is made of heavy tin and the base is wooden. The Zoetrope is 10.25”, strips measure 29” (marked in German). EX-MT.