In my never ending re-design process to spruce things up here in the 'ol office, I've recently acquired a couple of beautiful Art Nouveau era lamps. The first being a beautiful, 18" tall, carved alabaster figural, unsigned, and complete with marble sphere and base. Dating from the early 1900's, this lovely Nouveau nymph appears innocently enough in her long, clingy dress and sandals, running her fingers playfully through the loose strands of her flower adorned head of hair (incidentally, she matches an antique, oval framed silk print I have hanging on the wall in my office as well, --see last photo below.) The base column behind her which holds up the sphere (where the lightbulb goes inside) is given a bit more height with what appears to be a stack of three very thick books. Finally, after getting the lamp into the office and plugging it in, the marbled sphere above her is now fully illuminated, and suddenly, the neat thing about alabaster becomes apparent as well. Softer than marble, and almost translucent, the most noticeable detail being the alabaster nymph's face seems to glow rather spookily in the dark, especially around her eyes. Is she trying to hypnotize me from the corner of the desk? I believe so. Come back in a few days for an equally stunning example of another Nouveau style lamp which is also now in my possession.
12 comments:
whoa that is pretty spooky once it's lit. Like she's in the TSA's creepy backscatter imager at the airport. At least she didn't have to remove her shoes.
Quite beautiful. I love her simple shift and her big hands. Great find. It even makes a nice swirly light pattern on the ceiling.
That's a real survivor, nothing is broken off as far as I can tell. I assume one cat knocking that thing over would make quite a mess.
The spookiness is enhanced by her looking down with that faraway look. I'd expect her to split open like the Thing.
This lamp is in perfect condition from what I can see in the pictures.
Its miraculous it survived relatively unscathed in all these decades of existance.
Her glowing, hypnotic gaze is the material for an elder gods story too terrible for even Lovecraft to pen, or a tale of a ghost trapped in the lamp seeking release.
I'm just sorry I lack the skill to write either type of story myself, though nothing is stopping a follower of AEET or THOIA to do so.
Great find once again, Karswell, thanks for sharing.
After a second look, the nymph reminds me of the angels that were carved on headstones, a style that was popular in the 1890's and earlier.
Just on a whim, I wrote a short story featuring this lamp, I will post it here if I get the OK from Karswell.
>I wrote a short story featuring this lamp, I will post it here if I get the OK from Karswell.
Please do! :)
It seems my first attempt was too long or blogger to handle so here it is in two parts-
The Alabaster Lamp
A new store had opened in town titled "Thee Curiousitae Shoppae"
a curious name for a shop filled with curiosities.
William Mont-Ward entered the shop curious as to the curiosities the shop had to offer.
He really didn't think there would be anything worthwhile, other than the run of the mill junk most of these types of stores offered, but there was always a chance he could stumble across some unique bauble or object 'd art to add to his collection.
As he entered, he saw the proprietor behind a row of display cases who offered him a friendly greeting.
The owner, a middle-aged man wearing thick lensed glasses, offered his apologies for his shop's appearance.
"I just opened up today, so many of the items I have for sale are not yet on display. And my poor eyesight doesn't help matters. But I am glad to have you as my first customer." the owner said with a grin.
"Oh, yes, I'm glad I stopped by," William replied as he examined the unique items on display.
This was anything but the run of the mill junk shop, there were small jade items exquisitely carved in the forms of cranes. they were so carefully detailed and so lifelike he half imagined they would fly away in fright if he came too close to them.
In the display cases were rings and bracelets of gold, each featuring the craftsmanship of the goldsmith's skill of the highest order.
He would not have been surprised if they been owned by a queen or empress of centuries ago.
To his right he saw several lamps of exquisite workmanship. The one that stood out was one made of alabaster featuring a beautiful maiden at the base.
"How much is this lamp?" William asked.
The proprietor walked over to the one William was pointing to and examined it for a moment.
"It's not for sale," said the proprietor "but I will rent it to you. It is, well, my favorite lamp, my most treasured possession, but since you are undoubtedly a man of excellent taste, I will allow you to rent the lamp from me for one dollar. Maybe someday you will get tired of it. If you do, return it to me and we will call it even. You can't go wrong for a dollar."
William agreed and gave the man a dollar.
"I have a special packing case, sort of a suitcase, specially designed for the lamp. It will prevent any damage between the shop and your home. Would you like to have it delivered to your home or will you take it with you?"
William hesitated for a moment "I'll take it with me" he said.
end part 1
part 2
After William arrived home, he took the lamp out of the suitcase and noticed that there was a pair of sunglasses included. Attached to the sunglasses was a note that read 'keep these at the base of the lamp'.
'What an odd request' thought William but did as the note instructed.
With the lamp on a table and plugged in, William turned on the lamp to see how well it lit up the room. The light was a soft white that illuminated most of the room. The maid at the foot of the lamp glowed with a milky white color. Then, before his eyes, she hopped off the table and began to grow! William's eyes grew wide with shock and fear. He watched as in less than a minute she grew to five feet in height. She turned from him and put on the sunglasses that were resting on the table, then turned back facing him.
Her smile was disarming, and in a moment, she removed her diaphanous dress revealing her nubile naked body to him.
William's senses were overwhelmed at all that had occurred in the past few minutes.
"May I embrace you, kind sir?" she asked in a voice as smooth as silk. If she had asked him to rip his own heart out and give it to her, he couldn't have refused.
It was a night of pure passion for William, he surrendered to her touch and love.
He didn't know how long he had slept, but he was afraid to open his eyes, fearing that the beauty he beheld last night would be gone or was only a dream.
"I'm still here, and I'm no dream" she said as if she had read his thoughts.
He rose from bed and saw her sitting next to him, wearing the sunglasses as she faced him.
"Light hurts my eyes," she replied, once again answering his question before he could ask it. "I can't stand bright light, it hurts my eyes so, that is why I must wear sunglasses. You won't take away my sunglasses, you will let me wear them, won't you?"
He detected a hint of fear in her voice, "No, no, wear them if you need to" he said "I won't be cruel to you. I'll do anything for you, anything!"
He couldn't believe what he was saying, but it was true. He wanted her, needed her, worshipped her. Nothing else mattered but her.
A smile came to her lips. "I knew I could trust you to do what I wanted- what I needed."
end part 2
part 3
"I know you have a thousand questions," she continued, "but I can't answer them all. Some questions you have for me have no answers, some questions you have I don't know the answers to, and some-" she paused "some questions, I can't answer on peril of my life."
"It doesn't matter" he said " it doesn't matter as long as you are here with me, with me forever."
"Forever is a long time" she said "but we will take it one day and one night, on and on and on."
He wondered what she meant, a cryptic message, he wondered.
The weeks that followed were a whirlwind of joy and passion. The two of them were inseparable as they dined and danced, took in plays and ended the evening in each other’s arms.
The time spent was thrilling for William, but he noticed she never took off her sunglasses, even in the darkest of nights. Having eyes sensitive to bright light was one thing, but never removing her sunglasses even in bed, with the lights off, and she being so upset when his hands came close to her face, close to the sunglasses, it bothered him more than it should.
The sunglasses became his Pandorra's box, he had to know what her eyes looked like.
"Your eyes aren’t the eyes of Medusa, turning men into stone?" he asked teasingly.
"Don't ask about my eyes!" she snapped.
"I told you I can't answer many of your questions, and my eyes are mystery you must never solve."
Her voice softened as she replied "I was part of that lamp for so long, the light from that lamp hurt my eyes each time it was turned on. even though my back was turned from the light it still hurt my eyes."
She turned to him "To learn the secret of my eyes, to see them without my sunglasses, would ruin everything, is that what you want?"
He stood there, motionless.
"I, I- I've got to know, the secret is driving me crazy, I must know."
She frowned, "There is nothing more to say, except-
I tried to warn you."
She removed her sunglasses and faced him with closed eyelids, then slowly opened them.....
end part 3
part 4 finale
It was afternoon when she entered Thee Curiousitae Shoppae carrying a suitcase with her.
"I" said the proprietor "I, I, knew you would return, and I am sorry for you."
She walked up to him and they embraced each other. They both wept, he, grateful but saddened for her return, she, for another defeat.
"I so wished he would be the one" she sobbed.
"I know" he replied.
He led her to the back of the shop, unpacked the lamp from the suitcase and placed it on a table.
She took off her sunglasses and placed them on the table. Then she slowly shrank down in size, jumped up and onto the lamp, turned her body away from the light, and turned back into alabaster.
The proprietor wiped a tear from his eye. "I so wish you could find it in your heart to love me, I never would ask anything of you, my princess" he said with an aching heart.
He then turned away and found three items in the suitcase, three items he knew would be there.
The first two items were a pair of large pearls, each a brilliant white. The third item was a jade figure of a man, whose face had the look of absolute terror.
“This will have to go in the back cabinet, with a drape covering it, along with all the others,“ the proprietor said thoughtfully, “it would be too horrifying for customers to see them, jade figurines with a look of sheer terror on their faces, each with empty eye sockets.”
Love it! I actually glanced over at the lamp a few times while I was reading it to make sure the nymph was still standing there, haha! But wait, why… is… my… hand… slowly… turn… ing… gree—
Way to go, JMR777!
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