Featured Gyrating Shadow Lantern

Months ago I rented the 1926 silent movie "The Adventures of Prince Achmed". It's one of the first (if not the first) full length animated feature. Only it's not drawn, it was scizzor cuttings. This movie was made by Lotte Reiniger, and besides the two men that helped with filming, she did all the cuttings herself. I'm pretty sure they said it took 3 years. That's the same amount of time it took Disney to create Snow White, only he had a slew of animators working for him. If you haven't seen Prince Achmed, it's well worth the effort to see it. There's quite a few good versions on youtube.

What does the movie have to do with Gyrating Shadow Lantern? It's basically a pyramid toy from the late 1800s (I've seen 1875 - 1879) that casts shadows of the figures on the pyramid onto 4 different screens that you place around it. Very similar to Prince Achmed.

I don't usually pay a lot for anything. But, when I saw this set up in the antique store cabinet, I wanted it, immediately. I talked them down a hundred, and it was still expensive. I'd never seen one before, and while it didn't sell at auction, a German auction house had the starting bid at $2500. I paid a fraction of that.

These are a few photos of it. If I don't put the screen fully around it, it spins. Once the screen is fully in place it stops. It must have to do with air flow.

It's just so COOL!



I have to try and make a decent video, once I find out how to position the screen so it continues to spin.

 

Amazing! I love it

Can't wait to see the vid

 

What a marvelous thing. Items like this are why we get into antiques!

 

OMG, what a fabulous item @Snowman Cometh, great score for you (I'm so jealous). I saw one many years ago and passed on it as the price was high, I've regretted it ever since. Can't wait to see the video

 

Reminds me of the "shadow caster" on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

 

Wow! Incredibly cool. If you manage to make a video we would love to see it!

 

Incredible-That type of wonderful piece is why I also got into antiquing !

 

I would like to see a video, too!

 

I can't make out the figures in yours, but it's like the Swedish rotaters.

https://www.google.com/search?q=swe...MgkIAhAhGAoYoAEyCQgDECEYChigATIJCAQQIRgKGKABM