Patent ID: 7059491

Claim:
A vessel for observing a chemical substance, comprising: a base portion having an outer surface and an inner surface; an optically transmissive wall portion projecting away from the base portion and having an inner surface, an outer surface, a first region, and a second region opposite the first region, the outer surfaces of the base portion and the wall portion defining an exterior region, the inner surfaces of the base portion and the wall portion defining an interior region, the interior region being configured to contain the chemical substance and having an opening configured to removably receive the chemical substance; and a background material having a first surface facing toward the interior region and a second surface facing away from the first surface, the background material being positioned between the inner and outer surfaces of the base portion and the wall portion, the background material being configured so that at least approximately the entire first surface of the background material in the base portion and in the first region of the wall portion is visible through the second region of the wall portion from the exterior region; wherein the inner and outer surfaces of the base portion are integrally formed with each other, and the inner and outer surfaces of the wall portion are integrally formed with each other.