Charles Albert Keeley

Charles Albert Keeley (1 December 1821 – 11 August 1889) was a British inventor, amateur scientist, entertainer and pioneering colour expert.

[2] Inspired by the work of French chemist and colour theorist Eugene Chevreul, Keeley was a regular performer at the London Royal Polytechnic in the 1860s, which was chaired by distinguished scientist and aeronautical engineer Sir George Cayley.

[4] Keeley's lantern shows were highly innovative for their time, but they did not prove popular to a Victorian audience and in the early 1870s he spent several months in America, where he produced lighting effects for the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

It is thought that his original prototype for Colour Conundrum, initially an idea for a parlour game, was devised during his time in America.

The player's perception may be influenced by factors such as the lighting inside the cabinet and by reflected hues from the closely situated primary coloured cards.