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Intro/Background:
I've been collecting lamps for going on 50 years. At 79 years of age, to myself, this was one of my collection pieces I'd never imagined I would part with. It defines the "reverse painted" art form to a T. Reverse painted lamps were made to be "mellow," designed not to light up an entire room, but to emit a soft, tranquil glow... likewise, in their depiction reverse painted lamps in their artistic depiction were meant to transport the viewer... a canvas of detail brought to life via illumination that would - force - one to confront an aura of peace. A product of the early to mid 1900s, I've often wondered why it is that these lamps were forgotten. I look at lamps of today in their sleek, modern, minimalist design and can't help feeling "off put" by their sterile nature... Gone are the days of the lamp as art. Yet, though the day has passed, occasionally you will find a "time capsule" to that bygone era (such as the lamp seen here). This piece is everything that perfect reverse painted should be... highly detailed, meticulously composed, visually striking (yet soothingly so) and in immaculate form.
I picked up this reverse painted lamp in the late '60s while working in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 20 minutes away from my small apartment there was a little antique store called "Treasure of the Lost." I often frequented the little store, but seldom made a purchase - as cash was pretty tight back then. One day, while browsing the collection of artifacts of old, I saw a faint light coming from the back corner of the store. Sitting on a coffee table next to an old armchair, I came across what I learned was called the "reverse painted" lamp. I was - floored. "Think of what you see as a 'shadow' of sorts," the store owner had said, "a beautiful, heavenly 'shadow'" - with care the owner disassembled the lamp so that I could view the artistry at the bottom of the shade... I'd never seen anything like it. The hand painted design was masterfully detailed... perfectly composed... true to life yet - also an artistically "enhanced" depiction. Suffice to say, I bought the piece. While my wife wasn't to happy at the time, she - too - came to love the piece. In a small apartment with two crazy kids, we'd turn out the lights at night and sit together on our sofa with nothing to illuminate the room but the soft glow of this reverse painted lamp. Peace.... This lamp holds many memories. These days when I turn it on, I am brought back to my youth.. to my wife's youth... to an early love that remains to this day between us. It will be a bittersweet moment when this piece goes out, yet - I know the time has come. When you reach my age, well - you start thinking about what will become of your treasures once you have passed. With any luck, I will find someone that will love and appreciate this piece as much as my wife and I always have. Long after we are gone, a piece of our hearts and minds will live on through the glow of this age old work of art.
The Lamp Itself:
While the lamp depicts that of the "barnyard," it is not your typical midwestern depiction. This is an "island" barnyard." The landscape is LUSH and VIBRANT - so alive and thriving. A highly detailed, masterfully composed barn and shed of red and brown sits nestled in a wall of greenery. A white picket fence, weathered but still standing in the island winds, encloses the barn that sits atop a little hill. As you make your way around the lamp, an "opening" where the island splits in two. In the background, mountains of purple across the water. Three gulls in flight in the foreground, in the background? A "bleeding" sunset of orange, purple and gold. The general aesthetic of the depiction I have always found to be "asian" in nature. Perhaps one of those tiny Islands of Japan... where an isolated farmer has built into the tiny blot of land his place of tranquility. Flipping the shade over, one can truly take in the exemplary painted design. The acrylic paint is THICK and layered... textured and beautifully so. The paint is not chipping, dulled, or in any way fading. In all of the years I owned this lamp, I never used but a dust cloth ever so gently at the inside of the shade. I advise to the new owner to do the same, certainly no liquids or harsh cleaners of any kind.
The Base/Stand: While the shade is clearly the star of the show, the old antique brass/bronze stand that acts as holder of the beautiful shade is something worthy of note in and of itself. The stand is - heavy - solid and indestructible in its build. The shaft of the stand is wonderfully textured with vertical indentations running from top, to bottom. The base is breathtakingly elaborate - ornate etching and carving and complex patterning throughout the entirety. Again, they simply do not make lamps/stands of this nature anymore... I've very seldom polished the base/stand as over the years a lovely patina has developed. Matte hues mix with splotches of vibrant brass/bronze. While, of course, the stand and base could be polished to a bright shine - I believe doing so would eliminate an element of this lamp's antique character. As such, the stand will arrive in current patina form. The decision to polish (or to be left as is) left up to the new owner. Bulb Setup: This is a "dual bulb" lamp - providing for extra illumination across the entirety of the shade (in that there are no elements of design left in the shadows). You can, too, choose to illuminate one side, and not the other. I used to keep this lamp on my nightstand back in the day. Many a nights I turned on a single bulb so as not to disturb my wife's sleep as I read deep into the night. In that way, this lamp makes the perfect evening "friend."
Dimensions/Specs: Weight: 6lbs 13ozFull Lamp Height: 17 inchesLampshade width: 12 inches Lampshade height: 6.2 inchesLamp Base: 6x7 inches.~Overall, this is an exquisite example of an art form now extinct. There are fewer and fewer genuine reverse painteds out there as the years go by, and (often times) if you do come across a reverse painted, you'll find that the painted design is not in the best of conditions. This lamp's condition is - quite simply - immaculate. I've always care of that which I love, this lamp certainly counting among those "loved" possessions of mine. ~If you have any questions, or would like to see any additional photos please do not hesitate to reach out in the form of an email. I will get back to you promptly.
