Accession No
4546
Brief Description
toy planisphere made for the Children’s Encyclopaedia, English, early to mid-20th Century
Origin
England
Maker
The Children’s Encyclopaedia
Class
astronomy; games; ephemera
Earliest Date
1908
Latest Date
1910
Inscription Date
Material
paper (card); metal (brass)
Dimensions
breadth 139mm; height 165mm
Special Collection
Provenance
Purchased from Trevor Philip and Sons Ltd., London, on 06/06/1996.
Inscription
‘THE CHILDREN’S ENCYCLOPÆDIA SCIENTIFIC TOYS
THE PLANISPHERE’ (top)
Description Notes
Card planisphere, for use between 6 p.m. and midnight.
Condition fair; complete
References
Events
Description
The Children’s Encyclopaedia was published in fortnightly sections from 1908 to 1910. It contained information about the world written in simple English. The issues were sold door-to-door and in bookshops. Each issue cost a half-penny. The publication proved very popular; many families bought it in the hope of advancing their children’s education.
Free scientific toys came with each issue. The toy planisphere helped children find their way around the night sky, while the ‘wonder of day and night’ toy shows how the earth’s rotation causes day and night.
FM:39491
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