Kaleidoscopes

Around 1985 we saw an adult kaleidoscope at a local gift store in Eureka CA. 

The crafts movement starting in the 1970's resulted in craft versions of the kaleidoscope. After observing some in Eureka CA stores around 1985 I decided I would try my hand at making fancy "gift kaleidoscope. My inspiration included the wide availability of thin walled brass sink tail-pipes of an ideal size for a hand-held instrument, and the ready availability of stained glass through local craftspeople. I used glass cutters to prepare the slender mirrors for the kaleidoscope from thin mirror tiles, assembling three mirrors with silicone rubber on the seams into a prism that fit snugly into the brass tube, as seen in the end view below: