Victorian Peepshow

Originally a popular souvenir in the Victorian period, peep shows are paper concertinas which resemble miniature stage sets and expand to create an illusion of depth. Our peep shows are replicas of Victorian originals held in the Brunel Institute, and on show to the public in the Being Brunel Museum at Bristol Dockyards.

Made to commemorate the opening of the Thames Tunnel in London, these peep shows illustrate the first successful tunnel dug underneath a river, built by Sir Marc Brunel and his son Isambard. By carefully extending the peep show and looking through the viewer, you will see the captivating scene enjoyed by Victorians.

Our peep shows are made exclusively for Bristol Dockyards by Papeti, a small team based in Barcelona. A group of graphic designers, illustrators and water colourists, they create intricate paper giftware using traditional methods. 

The original peep shows were accepted into the Brunel Institute collection in 2017 under the Cultural Gifts Scheme by HM Government from Clive Richards OBE DL.

Dimensions:

(Single) 110 x 55 mm

(Double) 230 x 55 mm

Hand illustrated, printed and die cut by Papeti