When it arrived, I was dismayed that its two triangular faces were matte. I wanted to make a full-size kaleidoscope, so the prism had to be a monster size. The main optical component is the glass prism (or three narrow mirrors arranged in the same way). Have you ever heard of a kaleidoscope that had not mere stained glass, but actual gemstones? Neither have I, so I was going to make one.Ĭlockwise from the top, I got the following stones for the kaleidoscope: Well, I’m Russian, so I decided to make a proper kaleidoscope for my sister’s birthday. On the internet I’ve found out that indeed, Russian and Italian kaleidoscopes are among the best. Instead of the silvered glass mirrors (yes, as a kid, I took my toy `scope apart – obviously) there was a folded sheet of sort-of-polished metal, and the pieces of colored glass were painted on one side (with the paint flaking off) instead of being real stained glass. To my surprise and dismay, it turned out to be far inferior to the Soviet toy kaleidoscopes.

It is made by Corning, a high end glass manufacturer. Its shape and size are similar to the Russian ones. That thing is really tiny and the stained glass beads are fused to two wheels – meaning the patterns repeat themselves it’s not an infinite set of combinations which could never be repeated that was part of the charm of the `scopes Polina and I had grown up with: To our surprise, they were never as popular in the U.S., although there is now a growing interest among the aficionados.Īfter much searching, Polina was able to get herself this artisan kaleidoscope. Handcrafted in the U.S.A.Like many kids born in the USSR, my sister Polina and I loved our toy kaleidoscopes we had growing up.Signed by the artist 'Sue Rioux #106 2023 Serendipity'.2 separate mirror systems – a 2-mirror and a 3-mirror!.Kaleidoscope barrel is 6 1/4' long x 1 1/2' in diameter.Stained glass kaleidoscope stands 8' tall 10 inches deep by 8' wide – stand built-in!.The stained glass barrel spins effortlessly on the central axis. Most of the pieces in this 'barrel' have been creatively designed and fused into lovely unusual glass pieces by Sue. Her signature handmade fused glass and dichroic glass gems make up the 'barrel,' or object case which is a work of art unto itself. Working with brilliant pieces of stained glass, iridized glass and dichroic glass, Sue created a kaleidoscope that almost seems fluid in the way it plays with light. An attached, sturdy stand makes this a parlor kaleidoscope, and the underside of the kaleidoscope is signed by Sue and dated 2023, #106 'Serendipity.' A true piece of interactive art, this offers the creativity in design, as well as classic Sue Rioux look and feel you've come to expect from this talented kaleidoscope artist. One side is a two- mirror round mandala, while the other side is a three- mirror image that fills the entire viewing area inside. How is this achieved? By putting two mirror systems and two eyepieces into one larger kaleidoscope body. Words barely describe the beautiful inside and outside of one of her largest offerings! The absolutely amazing 'Serendipity' features 2 separate mirror systems in one beautiful sculpture. 'Serendipity #106' is an ultimate adult kaleidoscope in stained glass by artist Sue Rioux.

Stained glass kaleidoscope two piece