Editing Spirograph (section)

==History==
[[File:Spirograph2 (cropped).JPG|thumb|Drawing patterns with a Spirograph ring and wheel]]
[[File:Spirograph Salesman in Kochi.jpg|thumb|Street vendor in Fort Kochi, India, demonstrates the spirographs he is selling.]]
In 1827, Greek-born English architect and engineer Peter Hubert Desvignes developed and advertised a "Speiragraph", a device to create elaborate spiral drawings.  A man named J. Jopling soon claimed to have previously invented similar methods.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZI5fAAAAcAAJ&q=speiragraph&pg=PA361|title=Mechanics Magazine|first=John I.|last=Knight|year=1828|publisher=Knight; Lacey|via=Google Books}}</ref> When working in Vienna between 1845 and 1848, Desvignes constructed a version of the machine that would help prevent banknote forgeries,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://collection.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects/co60094/spirograph-and-examples-of-patterns-drawn-using-it-spirograph|title=Spirograph and examples of patterns drawn using it &#124; Science Museum Group Collection}}</ref> as any of the nearly endless variations of roulette patterns that it could produce were extremely difficult to reverse engineer.  The mathematician [[Bruno Abakanowicz]] invented a new Spirograph device between 1881 and 1900. It was used for calculating an area delimited by curves.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Ri46VxE7Pc0C&pg=PA293 |title=L'Europe mathématique: histoires, mythes, identités|page=293|first1= Cathérine |last1=Goldstein |first2= Jeremy |last2= Gray |first3=Jim |last3=Ritter |publisher= Editions MSH |year= 1996 |isbn=9782735106851|access-date=17 July 2011}}</ref>

Drawing toys based on gears have been around since at least 1908, when ''The Marvelous Wondergraph'' was advertised in the [[Sears catalog]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://digitallibrary.imcpl.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/tcm&CISOPTR=787&REC=4 |title=CONTENTdm Collection : Compound Object Viewer |last=Kaveney | first=Wendy |work=digitallibrary.imcpl.org |access-date=17 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.artslant.com/chi/articles/show/16968 |title=ArtSlant - Spirograph? No, MAGIC PATTERN! |first=Jim |last=Linderman |work=artslant.com |access-date=17 July 2011}}</ref> An article describing how to make a Wondergraph drawing machine appeared in the ''Boys Mechanic'' publication in 1913.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marcdatabase.com/~lemur/lemur.com/library-of-antiquarian-technology/philosophical-instruments/boy-mechanic-1913/index.html#introduction |title=From ''The Boy Mechanic'' (1913) - A Wondergraph |work=marcdatabase.com |year=2004 |access-date=17 July 2011 |archive-date=30 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930014649/http://www.marcdatabase.com/~lemur/lemur.com/library-of-antiquarian-technology/philosophical-instruments/boy-mechanic-1913/index.html#introduction |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The definitive Spirograph toy was developed by the British engineer [[Denys Fisher]] between 1962 and 1964 by creating drawing machines with [[Meccano]] pieces. Fisher exhibited his spirograph at the 1965 [[Nuremberg International Toy Fair]]. It was subsequently produced by his company. US distribution rights were acquired by [[Kenner Products|Kenner]], Inc., which introduced it to the United States market in 1966 and promoted it as a creative children's toy.  Kenner later introduced Spirotot, Magnetic Spirograph, Spiroman, and various refill sets.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Coopee|first1=Todd|title=Spirograph|url=https://toytales.ca/spirograph/|website=ToyTales.ca|date=17 August 2015}}</ref>

In 2013 the Spirograph brand was re-launched worldwide, with the original gears and wheels, by Kahootz Toys. The modern products use removable putty in place of pins to hold the stationary pieces in place. The Spirograph was Toy of the Year in 1967, and Toy of the Year finalist, in two categories, in 2014. [[Kahootz Toys]] was acquired by PlayMonster LLC in 2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.playmonster.com/playmonster-expands-its-kids-arts-and-crafts-line-with-the-classic-spirograph-brand-through-its-acquisition-of-kahootz-toys/ |title=PlayMonster acquires Kahootz Toys |date=14 November 2019 |access-date=26 February 2023}}</ref>