Vintage STEVEN KALEIDOSCOPE Kit in Orig Graphics Box!

Vintage STEVEN KALEIDOSCOPE Kit in Orig Graphics Box! - eBay (item 310022363543 end time Feb-17-08 20:04:33 PST)

This vintage kaleidoscope comes in the original box with a game sheet. The box is marked, "Steven Plastic Kaleidoscope Kit. Create your own 'millions of designs'. Constructive Fun for Young and Old. U.S. Pat. App. For." The toy itself is marked, "Millions of Designs Kaleidoscope, Steven Mfg. Co., St. Louis, MO."

The directions sheet tells you to take off the white cap and frosted glass so you can replace the design contents with other items furnished with the kit. Those other items are not here. It gives a list of other items you can use to create designs. Suggested items:

• Colored buttons of various sizes and shapes.
• Dry breakfast cereals.
• Colored bits of paper, flat or wadded.
• Colored bits of feathers.
• Broken match sticks.
• Small colored beads.
• Flower petals.
• Metal paper clips, various sizes and shapes.
• Large size carpet tacks and nails
• Dried beans, peas, etc.
• Live or dead insects and worms.
• Small colored sea shells, etc.

How interesting to be able to put your own things inside and see what they look like. I never had that option in my kaleidoscopes. The back of the directions says you can get additional parts or replacements by writing to therm. The address is so old, there's no zip code.

There are great vintage graphics on the box. It shows designs resulting from inserting nuts and bolts, or colored glass, or macaroni or match chips. The bottom is stamped, "RED", has a "13" in a circle, and "48 2259."

To see the designs change, rotate the whole tube. Gorgeous designs appear. It's in very good condition with some minor wear on the white cap and two wide areas on the plastic ridges along the tube. The box is very rough with a huge chunk missing and the lid torn completely free.

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