Joe Kirby - Kaleidoscopes

The Joker

There is an additional view of this piece.

Stained Glass Kaleidoscope
This unassuming kaleidoscope was the precursor to many kaleidoscope innovations. Joe Kirby, a dentist by day, dabbled in stained glass by night. His attention to detail is evident in the complexity of the stained glass body. Dozens of glass panels have been soldered together to form the housing for the mirror system. A three mirror-equilateral system is found within. What is exciting is what he did with the object chamber. Kirby designed 4 sandblasted panels that can be placed at the end of the mirror system. The panel can be slid in and out of the viewing area to create various effects.

Essentially the panel blocks part of the object chamber, creating stagnant geometric patterns within the illusion. Slide the panel a tiny bit and see how the geometric pattern is altered. Turn the chamber and observe what happens. Slide the panel a little more and again observe the changes. The concept predates 'masking' of the object chamber. What is wonderful is that the 'mask' is not fixed and invites further interaction.

The Joker was made in 1985. It measures 13 inches long with a 2.5-inch diameter. $500.