The Richard Balzer Collection

Stumbled upon the Richard Balzer Collection a couple of months ago when I was searching for antique toys and games ~ this is a great site full of a great variety of visual entertainment of which are rarely seen. With names like The Magic Planisphere, The Zoetrope, The Ludoscope or Turning Heads, how could one not be curious? The site is divided into several sections ~ many include flash galleries where one can view the scenes or images in motion.

{The illusion of motion was created by viewing the designs on the card through the slotted disc ~ visit the flash gallery here.}

The Magic Window is a Phenakistascope, as is the Ludoscope shown above. From what I can discern, this type of toy all contained images on discs that were twirled in order to see the images move.

{See this in motion here.}

Shown above is a Praxinoscope ~ this appears to work by spinning the toy rather than any discs.

{Lovely graphics on a box cover for a tachyscope ~ an adaptation of the zoetrope}

Go here to see what you would view when using a zoetrope ~ you will arrive at the top image above. Click on the different designs to see what they look like in motion ~ then you will see an image like the second image EXCEPT it is moving! Not only is the movement pretty cool, the graphics are just gorgeous.

This type of amusement is called a Thaumatrope ~ see some examples in motion here.

{closeup of a disc from a phenakistascope}

The last two images are Turning Heads from the metamorphosis section ~ I have always been fascinated by this sort of thing ~ aren't these fabulous?! There is a great flash gallery in this section here ~ make sure to check it out.

{Autumn & Winter}

{Peace & War AKA Jeff Subdued & Jeff Rampant}

• All images from Richard Balzer Collection •

Clever Inspiration ~ Now & Then

While visiting one of my favorite blogs today (Cafe Cartolina), I was drawn to Fiona's posting about Alexis Rom's Get Up Printing Set ~ it is such a clever idea ~ mix & match people and hairstyles for endless possibilities! Given that I am partial to rubber stamps, I was especially smitten!

The Get Up Printing Kit reminded me of something else I had seen long ago on two other blogs I visit frequently ~ Ullabenulla and Le Divan Fumoir ~ a 17th century Dutch handpainted miniature leather locket. The locket comes with multiple mica discs of handpainted disguises that the owner can change as desired ~ transforming the portrait ~ a very similar concept to the rubber stamp kit above. I find it so interesting that a theme or concept can be just as compelling today as it was hundreds of years ago.

{images from here}

Fabulous Find #7 ~ Kiddie Koop

Look what D and I came upon this weekend ~ an original Kiddie Koop! When I turned the corner in the basement level of the River Market Antique Mall and saw this, I had no idea what it was until I saw the xeroxed copy describing this crib/bassinet/playpen from the 1940's. The photo of the baby in the advertisement drew my attention as it looked like some sort of circus attraction ~ it really looks like a cage as it has mesh screen. This one seems to be missing its top ~ yes, there is actually a lid on this contraption! Aside from the wire screen, the chipping lead based paint and the multiple pinching hinges, it seems a wonderful place to keep your baby entertained ~ and contained. What mother wouldn't love to keep her little monkey locked up in a cage while she cooked dinner or caught up on the laundry ~ plus, the rolling wheels would make it easy to transport the little tot anywhere ~ as long as you live in a one story home. I was so entranced by the oddity, that I never did even look at the price ~ also, I've already bought my sister and her husband a baby gift ~ I'll have to put this on the back burner for someone else!

While looking for visuals to go along with my photo, I found out that the Kiddie Koop was, by some accounts, designed by none other than Buckminster Fuller, the father of the geodesic dome. You can read more about the Kiddie Koop here and here. The advertisement above and the images below are all from daddytypes.

Friday Funny

The end of a stinky week, so what better way to celebrate its end than to share this funny knickknack ~ he did not seem to have any function other than the joke. If he wasn't so expensive he probably would have come home with me, but at $75 I let him go.

{one bad s(cent)}

Have a great weekend!

Household Necessity?!

Doesn't everyone need one of these? This must have been a very important tool since it appears as if it would take hours to make one! I saw this handmade harrow at Antiques on the Common ~ quite a unique piece ~ I was drawn to the subtle colors and textures ~ just beautiful in its simplicity.

Wouldn't it make a great wallcovering?! Or maybe a giant back scratcher?!

{Interesting info ~ I would never have known what this was for without this sign!}

{side and closeup views}

Ghastly masks

When I was looking for some mask inspiration I came upon this photo ~ really creepy! Unfortunately there was no information with the photo, so all I can surmise is that it was taken during wartime ~ looks like a large group of children wearing gas masks ~ maybe a youth group of sorts? Notice that everyone is dressed in what looks to be a school uniform ~ except the troop leaders. Odd and disturbing, but mesmerizing.... almost looks like a parade ~ but why would they be celebrating?

{photo found here}

The Willard Suitcase Exhibit

Quite a while ago I came upon the Willard Suitcase Exhibit online and found it disconcerting, yet fascinating. While there is a traveling exhibit one can see at many venues across the country, the online exhibit of The Lives They Left Behind ~ Suitcases from a State Hospital Attic, certainly gives you a good idea of what it is all about.

{attic where suitcases were found ~ men's on one side, women's on the other}

Basically, the Willard Asylum/Willard Psychiatric Center operated in some form from 1869 ~ 1995, when its doors were closed and several staff members and a museum curator worked to save artifacts left behind. Almost 400 suitcases were found labeled and alphabetized ~ untouched for years ~ the suitcases were moved to a NY State Museum's warehouse where they were later examined more closely and researched further resulting in a major exhibition in 2004 at the NY State Museum. The researchers were able to match residents of the asylum with their specific belongings and memorialize their lives in a respectful way.

{ filled steamer trunk}

{Margaret's personal photos and keepsakes}

{ID card or record?}

Below are several of the suitcase owners whose lives are written about on the online exhibit. You can read more about those below and seven others here ~ click on 'the suitcases' once you enter the online exhibit.

{various photos of Frank}

{Madeline ~ resided at Willard for 47 years}

{Ethel}

{Willard Asylum}

It is interesting to note that over 50,000 patients were admitted to Willard over the years ~ nearly half of those patients died there. All images via.