Product Details
"Gear Drive #4" is a motor driven parlor kaleidoscope by American artist J.R. Beall. This scope is made of aged Figured Maple wood with Ebony accents. Scope has a counter rotating barrel and object case and includes a 12 volt motor powered by a DC converter. Interestingly, the barrel of the scope rotates in one direction and the object case rotates in the opposite direction! The object case is dry, side-lit and end-lit, and contains beautiful, tiny, handmade lampwork glass pieces, fluid-filled ampules, and millefiori slices. A removable frosted, translucent, glass lid sits loosely onto the glass object case, and opens easily to add and remove whatever objects the viewer desires. Object case sets onto three ball bearings held in place with neodymium magnets. The angle of the scope on the base is adjustable by loosening a screw and sliding the cradle forward or backward. The 2-mirror 8-point system inside of "Gear Drive" makes absolutely gorgeous, vibrant, extremely detailed "mandala-style" kaleidoscopic imagery. Creation of this scope started in 2002 and was completed in 2003. Scope on stand measures approximately 16"T x 12" x 12". Scope barrel is approximately 11"L x 3.5"Diameter. Signature and date (2003) can be found beneath the object case on the scope body.
DISCLAIMER: While this scope is from a private collection and has a prominent mirror line (as seen in photos), if you can look past this flaw, the automatically motorized turning kaleidoscopic imagery created inside is absolutely wonderful and will delight friends and family for years to come.