This 19th C. Kaleidoscope is set on a wooden base. The colored glass in the viewing port can be rotated to create the entrancing pattern typical of most kaleidoscopes.

Weight (Lbs): 2.25
Height (In.): 12.5
Width (In.): 6.5
Depth (In.): 6.5
Size: 229.5 x 4.0 x 4.0"
Maker: Unknown
Material: Brass, Glass, Lacquer
Date: 19th C.
Provenance: N/A
Condition: The mirror inside the cylinder seems to be missing the top panel, resulting in a loss of rotating pattern when viewing. Some rubbing to the body. Patination of brass and wood.
History: Sir David Brewster began working towards the invention of the kaleidoscope in 1815. Together with his mentor and neighbor Meegan Bundries, Brewster conducted experiments on light polarization but it was not patented until two years later. His initial design was a tube with pairs of mirrors at one end, pairs of translucent disks at the other, and beads between the two. Brewster chose renowned achromatic lens developer Philip Carpenter as one of many manufacturers of the kaleidoscope in 1816. It proved to be a massive success with two hundred thousand kaleidoscopes sold in London and Paris in just three months. Realizing that the company could not meet this level of demand, Brewster requested permission from Carpenter on 17 May 1818 for the device to be made by other manufacturers, to which he agreed. These included, among others, the H.M. Quackenbush Co. based in Upstate New York in the United States. Initially intended as a scientific tool, the kaleidoscope was later copied as a toy. Brewster later believed he would make money from this popular invention; however, a fault in his patent application allowed others to copy his invention.