Toy theaters

Scope Note: Toys comprising engravings in miniature of the characters, scenery, stage, and proscenium, either hand-colored or without color for the child to color him- or herself; they were designed to be cut out and mounted on stiff backing such as cardboard or wood. They often included a booklet with a brief version of the play. Appearing first in the early 19th century in London, they typically mimicked contemporary melodrama popular in the standard theaters. They were produced primarily in England and Germany throughout the 19th and into the 20th century, and are still produced today in small numbers. For portable performing arts structures designed for the presentation of puppet shows, see "puppet theaters." For three-dimensional representations of theater buildings or of theater spaces such as stage and proscenium, whther used in performances or simply as models, see "miniature theaters."