Understanding: The Kineograph

The Kineograph was created in 1868 by Pierre-Hubert Desvignes, however, the flip book wasn't fully recognised until it was patented by John Barnes Linnett of London. The Kineograph was the first form of animation to take on a linear form unlike the earlier Phenakistoscope.

By 1894, a mechanised form of the flip book was invented called the Mutoscope. This variation of the flip book allowed for the pages or images to be mounted on a central rotating cylinder bound like a book, which meant that the flip book could be 'flicked' through a lot easier. This invention became a very popular attraction through the mid 20th century.

Mutoscope

By 1897 the flip book was developed further into a Filoscope, which was simply a flip book placed in a metal case to facilitate flipping.

Filoscope

Although flip books are now considered largely as a novelty children's toy, they played a large role in the birth of cinema and were used as an effective promotional tool since they were created. They are still used today by artists and occasionally for promotion purposes. Photographers have also employed the use of flip books to display a large collection of digital photographs at once.  

This is a small example of some of the work that is created using flip books today.