Please be advised: this website contains the names, images and voices of people who are now deceased.

Collections WA has a responsibility to preserve and make accessible the history and culture of Western Australia in all its various forms. The intention of Collections WA is to support research, and to reveal actions of the past that have impacted upon communities, families, and individuals.

In doing so, Collections WA acknowledges the need to respond sensitively and appropriately in cases when accessing this material may be confronting to Aboriginal visitors and clients.

Please also note: Some historical materials within this portal may include language or opinions that today are considered inappropriate or even offensive. Collections WA does not endorse this language and apologises for any distress caused.

Continue

Continue showing cultural advice

Stop showing cultural advice

Collections WA brings together collections from libraries, galleries, museums, archives, historical societies, cultural organisations, community groups and other collecting organisations across Western Australia.

Busselton Historical Society > Records

Chromatrope

« Prev Item Next Item »

Subcollections

Overview

The chromatrope or “artificial firework” is a mechanical magic lantern slide and early medium for producing moving images. Similar mechanisms were used from the early 19th century by phantasmagoria showmen but the chromatrope was not widely known until the mid 19th century.
Chromatropes used a rackwork mechanism or twisted band to revolve two glass discs in opposite directions. These discs were usually painted with abstract patterns and were capable of producing astoundingly complex visual effects given their relatively simple form.
https://kieranbrowne.com/research/how-chromatropes-work/

Details

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-124-2023.4

Item type

Material

Themes

Keywords

Related Objects

Related Objects

Parent records

ROOM 1.27 General Exhibits

Busselton Historical Society

Busselton Historical Society

Organisation Details
View Collection
Item Feedback

Other items from Busselton Historical Society

Chromatrope

Media Reuse | View Full Size | Item Feedback

Scan this QR code to open this page on your phone ->

Full size unavailable (you're already seeing this image in its highest resolution available on Collections WA)

Loading...