Mystery Lamp: That’s one Crazy Rooster!
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Gosh, I don’t know where to begin. Is this not the craziest rooster of all time?! Without a doubt, it’s finds like this that keep me enthusiastic about TV lamp collecting. The colors, the bold (and seriously peculiar) design… it just doesn’t get any better than this. Actually it does get better. It’s for sale! This gem is now at auction on eBay, and is item #190156629661. Not only that, but it’s being offered by eBay seller, bucksonbay, an extremely dependable retailer of awesome TV lamps and other stuff. OK, I believe it’s time to put our thinking caps on… who do you suppose made this crazed bird? Given that the lamp is absent of any markings, we’ll just have to do a little detective work, hopefully finding stylistic similarities between it and other known lamps. (more…)
At this point Kron had established the basic form, the space for the bulb/fixture having also been considered. It’s interesting to note that this early sketch included references to the legs, a feature that was minimized in the final product. The sketch is in the collection of Richard Gunter, as are other sketches of various Kron TV lamps. My favorite of these is the Owl, with both the front and back rendered. I’ll post those in the next few weeks!
$338.33 - Miramar of California Cat
This is too cool… a variation of the Claes “Glowing-Eyed Siamese Twin Kittens T-V Lamp” that includes a pink pillow/cat bed! The cats and pillow are not fused together, the lamp set into position on the base. Although the pillow isn’t marked it was clearly designed specifically for the purpose of supporting the cats, their contours fitting perfectly. Is this rare? You bet your sweet bippy! The lamp itself is relatively scarce, but the pillow is extremely rare. I should mention at this point that the example shown here is currently listed on eBay, and is auction #300153002999. 
This interesting lamp has developed great popularity for what it isn’t… it isn’t a Claes! It appears to be a creative re-working of 
I’ve been contacted by many collectors looking for help in identifying their TV lamp, often confused that the only marking they can find is on the switch, Leviton. While the name appears on most lamps, they were responsible for just the electrics, as Leviton was one of the largest producer of electric switches and lamp sockets in the world. Founded in 1906 by Isidor Leviton, the company remains a thriving family-owned enterprise. Initially focusing on gas lighting, Leviton was quick to shift their focus towards electrical fixtures, the arena in which the company was to excel. Isidor’s son Harold was an active part of Leviton beginning in the ’40s, becoming President and CEO in 1965. He served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at the time of his passing on September 8th, 2007. No, Leviton didn’t make lamps, they made them work.
A member of the