Lady with the Lamp

Actually, currently in our trove we have two very lovely ladies with lamps. 

Of spelter, a zinc alloy that resembles bronze, patinaed in antique white, each lamp has a plaque on the front of the base. The gorgeous gal on the globe is captioned "Clair de Lune par Bruchon" (Moonlight by Bruchon), while her pretty partner is "Crépuscule par Bruchon" (Twilight by Bruchon).

Each also carries the incised signature "Bruchon" 

Émile Jean Baptiste Bruchon (1838–1909) was a French sculpture of the Belle Époque best known for his smaller bronze statues, often incorporated as decorative motives on utilitarian items such as lamps and clocks. Born in Paris, he studied under Mathurin Moreau, one of the most influential French sculptors of the 19th century, and his works were exhibited in Paris Salon. Finely detailed and often depicting graceful, fluid motion, Bruchon's works typically portray figures from mythology or literature.

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

16151-2763, 2764

You'll Get a Bunch of Compliments. . .

 . . . if you install this fun and funky mid-century modern swag light of ruby red lucite balls in the form of a gorgeous group of glowing giant grapes.

The American company Dupont introduced a form of acrylic under the brand name lucite in 1931. Because of its clarity, durability, the ability to easily mold it into different shapes, and its light weight, during WWII, lucite was adapted for a wide variety of military uses, including aircraft canopies and submarine periscopes. After the war, lucite's durability and its ability to be cast in a wide variety of shapes and colors made it attractive to designers, and lucite began appearing in jewelry, handbags, and home furnishings and decor.

In the 1960s and 1970s, there was a fad for vibrantly colored fruit, especially grapes. Lucite grapes, in jewel tones never found in nature, were the perfect touch for a Pop Art era home. The grapes were  attached to wooden stems and adorned with plastic leaves. While some of these bright bunches were manufactured, many of these fun fruits were created by home crafters (some collectors say that you can distinguish the factory fruit from home crafted because the factory grapes are perfectly round, while those used in by home hobbyists have a flat area or knob where the wire connected to the grape). One story credits Mormon housewives for starting the trend, creating bunches of grapes as gifts and to earn a little extra revenue. LeeWards, a chain of craft and fabric stores, in the 1960s and 70s offered kits for making lucite grape decor alongside its macrame and hook rug crafts. This page from the company's 1969 catalog offers a kit to make "one of the more striking and unique lamps we've ever offered," a $17.95 kit that would allow the crafter to create at home a grape lamp that "would cost at least $50" in a store. Whether factory or home made, vintage lucite grapes are now highly sought after by collectors and those wanting to add a vintage pop of color to their homes.

All posted items are for sale at Next-to-New, but things can sell quickly!

16557-192