I am doing research on Toy Theaters for a small exhibit that will open
this summer. I have more than enough info. on English toy theater,
called Juvenile Drama, which was sold in the early 1900's in London for a
Penny Plain and Twopence colored. I have found very little info. on German toy
theater, Papiertheater, and the books are all in German. There was also a
toy theater business in Denmark, Spain, France, and the USA.The only
reference I have for toy theaters outside England is a book called: Toy
Theaters of the World, by Peter Baldwin.It is fairly limited, and no one
can seem to trace the origins acurately. Did the British or Germans make
the first toy theaters? The information is somewhat biased, and hard to
trace.Is anyone out there an expert? Is this a European craft only?
Perhaps Asian countries also had a version of toy theater?
I need help with this obscure subject.

Becky Wells
Museum Studies