Lamp of the Day
Three-Cat TV Lamp (maker unknown)
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 Leland Claes Siamese Cats, with the addition of a kitten on the left, resulting in a format vaguely similar to the Lane & Co. 3-Cats design. In previous posts I’ve spoken of an unwritten “15% rule” regarding the use of designs from others, and the kitten would have cleverly met that criteria. So who made these lamps? The only marking is Made in Calif. scripted across the bottom, which isn’t much help. My pet theory is that it could have been done by William Hirsch Manufacturing, the company that is generally considered to have made Claes’ designs. I’m of the belief that the designer and manufacturer came to some sort of disagreement, with Hirsch opting to carry-on with modified versions of the Leland Claes lamps.
One thing is certain. Whoever did the sculpting of these cats used the Claes design as a guide. While some may disagree, I don’t believe for a second that Claes did this. He wasn’t adverse to making variations of his works, but they always maintained the level of quality. While taken at different angles, comparing the photos of the 3 cats and the Claes design (at right) reveal the similarities, and differences. This 3-cat lamp has lost the elegant lines of the original, and the “new kitten” is certainly from a different hand. But all we have to work with is theory, and the lamp will have to be considered “unattributed” unless further information surfaces. It is a charming curiosity, a rare and unusual lamp whose background may never be understood.