Boîtes Dioramique Family (ca. 1849 - 1860)

Boîtes dioramique is a family of optical machine all of the members of which are designed for one of the standard-format plaques dioramic – a type of paper diorama affixed to a rectangular wooden frame.

 

They all have a means of back-illuminating translucent paper dioramas (a back-flap in all cases except the Flip-Chain Polyorama) and a top-flap for front-illumination. The plaques dioramic are moved into or out of the viewing area by means of a slot except in the case of the Flip-Chain Polyorama.

 

So far there are five genuses identified for this family.

 

Boîtes Simples:
	Genus Link

These are probably the first such boxes produced. They have a simple rectangular shape.

 

Polyoramas Panoptique:
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The Polyorama Panoptique is defined by the pleated bellows for adjusting the lens position.

 

Boîte Dioramique:
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Boîtes Dioramique have a lens-extension attached to the body, but not in the form of a bellows.

 

Multiple Polyorama:
	Genus Link

These polyoramas have multiple lenses.

 

Flip-Chain Polyorama:
	Genus Link

This device is unique among optical machines in having a continuous chain of separate images that flip up sequentially into the viewing area – what I am calling a flip-chain mechanism. There is only one known species in this genus.

 

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