An unusual stained pine kaleidoscope Unsigned, mid to late 19th century With revolving tapered Isosceles triangle section tube incorporating eyepiece with circular glass aperture set within a tin surround at the apex and enclosing twin opposing mirrors set to the interior surfaces of the matching side panels over tin-bound rotating circular table, the base with frosted glazed window over blind panel applied with paper label inscribed Kaleidoscope, with revolving Eye-tube & triple motion of objects. Price 10, to front, the sides with slots carrying a steel spindle applied with colourful bundles of fabric to interior, the rear matching the front (lacking frosted glass panel to rear), 37cm (14.5ins) high. The standard form of kaleidoscope was invented and patented by David Brewster in 1816 who described its structure and operations in a 174-page scientific paper titled Treatise on the Kaleidoscope. His design used two lenses to produce a three-dimensional effect in creating the stereoscope. He was also a leading advocate of the flat Fresnel lens adopted by the British for lighthouses and was credited with saving thousands of lives by protecting vessels against shipwrecks. Brewster was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1815 and knighted in 1831. The current lot follows the basic essence Brewster’s design in that it uses a pair of tall mirrors set at an acute angle to each other to create kaleidoscopic reflections of the objects, in this case bundles of fabric tied within the base. The viewed image can be animated by either revolving the spindle onto which the objects are applied, or by revolving the eye-tube.
An unusual stained pine kaleidoscope Unsigned, mid to late 19th century With revolving tapered Isosceles triangle section tube incorporating eyepiece with circular glass aperture set within a tin surround at the apex and enclosing twin opposing mirrors set to the interior surfaces of the matching side panels over tin-bound rotating circular table, the base with frosted glazed window over blind panel applied with paper label inscribed Kaleidoscope, with revolving Eye-tube & triple motion of objects. Price 10, to front, the sides with slots carrying a steel spindle applied with colourful bundles of fabric to interior, the rear matching the front (lacking frosted glass panel to rear), 37cm (14.5ins) high. The standard form of kaleidoscope was invented and patented by David Brewster in 1816 who described its structure and operations in a 174-page scientific paper titled Treatise on the Kaleidoscope. His design used two lenses to produce a three-dimensional effect in creating the stereoscope. He was also a leading advocate of the flat Fresnel lens adopted by the British for lighthouses and was credited with saving thousands of lives by protecting vessels against shipwrecks. Brewster was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1815 and knighted in 1831. The current lot follows the basic essence Brewster’s design in that it uses a pair of tall mirrors set at an acute angle to each other to create kaleidoscopic reflections of the objects, in this case bundles of fabric tied within the base. The viewed image can be animated by either revolving the spindle onto which the objects are applied, or by revolving the eye-tube.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
