Brief History of Kaleidoscopes
Known to the ancient Greeks, (the word "kaleidoscope" is derived from the Greek kalos, eidos, and skopios; meaning beautiful, form, and view, respectively), it was reinvented by the Scot Sir David Brewster in 1816 while conducting experiments on light polarization, and it was patented in 1817. The initial design was made from a tube in which Brewster placed pairs of mirrors at one end, and pairs of translucent disks at the other end. Between the two, he placed beads and other small colored objects. Initially intended as a science tool, he quickly reproduced it as a toy. Brewster believed he would make money from his popular invention. However, a fault in his patent allowed others to copy his invention. In America, Charles Bush popularized the kaleidoscope as a toy by patenting several improvements on the design around the 1870’s. Almost a century later, Cozy Baker energized a renaissance in kaleidoscope making in America through her extensive kaleidoscope collections and books written about modern kaleidoscope artists.
The Stained Glass ProcessOur process begins around the image...whether its a kaleidoscope, suncatcher, or mosaic, we begin with an idea. Our materials are then laid out and chosen, (color, texture, pattern), for the individual project.
Stained glass is cut by scoring and breaking each individual piece. Each piece is then ground using a wet grinder to remove sharp edges and refine the shape of each piece. Each piece is then washed and dried. We use the copper foil method, made popular by L.C. Tiffany at the turn of the century, whereas each piece of glass is wrapped in copper foil and soldered together at the seams. Once we have soldered the pieces together, it is washed and tried again and a patina finish is added.
Stained Glass CareMost of the time your stained glass can be easily brightened by dusting with a dry cloth or soft brush. If you need to remove any soil, I recommend Kwik-Clean, which will buff and shine the glass as well as the metals. This cleaner will also remove "White mold".
To polish and protect your stained glass, especially if you live near the coast or in a humid area, try a product by Clarity called Stained Glass Compound or Kem-o-Pro. This compound is specially formulated for the metals in stained glass work (lead, tin, copper, zinc, etc). Carefully and gently buff on, let it dry and then buff off. Frequency of cleaning depends on where you live. Closer to the coast, the more frequently it will need to be polished. This compound protects the metals from corrosion, evident by the presence of "white mold" on the metal. Be sure not to rub too hard, as this can damage patinas present on the metal.
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