Visit Tim's Toy Shop, at www.grand-illusions.com/
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Tim has a variety of unusual books in his library.
Stopping Time: The Photographs of Dr Harold Edgerton shows pictures where motion has been frozen in time! Tim had a brief correspondence with Harold Edgerton about 40 years ago. It took Dr Edgerton, also known as "Papa Flash" many years to perfect the "Milk-Drop Coronet" picture which Tim shows here. Another favourite picture that Tim shows is a bullet being fired through three balloons, so we can see three stages of a balloon bursting, all in one photo!
Next, a book that contains many designs of folding table napkins, and then a book on folding towels. A special kind of origami!
Tim loves novelty umbrellas, and the next book, which comes from Italy, contains a very unusual example - it looks as if the umbrella is inside out, but in fact it is designed for holding over your pet when you take them for a walk. The whole book is a catalogue of luxury items for your pampered pet!
'Skyshades' is a book of tiny whimsical landscapes.
Finally a book from Russia containing all sorts of visual illusions, which also contains an interesting piece of piano sheet music. Tim plays the piano and was intrigued because he could see there was something strange about the music. It turns out it is a well know piece, but has been written backwards!