Heinrich VIII = Henry the Eighth.

[London] : [A. & S. Joseph, Myers & Co.], [1855?]

[Vienna?] : [Matthias Trentsensky?]

1 moving panorama in wooden box : paper printed in color over wood with metal fastenings ; box 19.5 x 25.5 x 7 cm + 1 zograscope attachment (paper pasted over wood with mirror and lens ; 21 x 13 x 1.5 cm) and 1 crank (metal ; 5.5 x 4.5 x .5 cm)

metal paper wood

A miniature theater made up of a small moving panorama housed in a wooden box with an accompanying zograscope (boîte d'optique). The panorama displays six different scenes from Charles Kean's 1855 production of Henry VIII. When the box is opened, the zograscope can be inserted into a slot in the opened lid, allowing the scenes within to be viewed in three dimensions, while a small metal crank turns the panorama between the six different scenes. The chromolitograph on the lid of the box is an image of the Princess's Theatre (Oxford Street, London), showing two box office windows. A woman in a shawl and pink ruffled skirt stands at one, while a uniformed messenger boy stands at the other.

Likely manufactured by Matthias Trentsensky, a preeminent producer of toy theaters in the nineteenth century, based in Vienna.
The six theatrical scenes match a set issued by A. & S. Joseph, Myers & Co. issued in 1855 to commemorate Kean's performance of Henry VIII. The scenes shown are Scene I, Act I; Scene I, Act II; Scene I, Act III; Scene II, Act II; Scene II, Act III; and Scene IIII, Act II. Several costumes depicted in the scenes match a set of "Costumes in Shakespeare's historical play of King Henry the Eighth" issued by A. & S. Joseph, Myers & Co. and Trentsensky.

Great Britain -- England -- London, -- publication place.
Austria -- Vienna, -- manufacture place.

ART Flat c34

Acquired from Marlborough Rare Books, 2017-07-26. Purchase made possible by The Ann Jennalie Cook Acquisitions Fund. Purchase made possible by The Elizabeth T. Kennan Acquisitions Endowment Fund.

270345