Recently we were sent a photo of an interesting pair of mid century modern lamps from a contact in the state of Maine. From the photo they looked like wildly ornate brass and wood candelabras. From a photograph another road trip was planned. From just south of Boston to a small burg in south central Maine was going to be a 3 ½ hour trip. Most of our trip was on 4 lanes of hi speed interstate highways bulging with car and truck traffic. However, once we got off the interstate at our exit we were slowed down by an atmosphere that was laden with something dark and deep. The stretches of road were narrow and long and occasionally spotted with battered shuttered or darkened windows of buildings posing as garages, gas stations and carry outs. The natural landscape that we were traveling through had prematurely turned to shades of winter’s grays and browns. It felt like we were moving through the half life of something huge. To me it felt like a damp winter evening that lasts a life time an omnipresent melancholy. On the horizon a small white frame house came into view. We were here. I was able to breathe again. We slowed and turned onto a muddy driveway, past the small house and an empty and forgotten doghouse and pulled up to the front of a large red barn.
In what felt like slow motion, we left our vehicle and moved toward the entrance.
Once inside we were met by our friend and contact and with this spark of acknowledgement and greeting, time sped up to the correct moment and the darkness and melancholy fell back into a manageable place. With the half life stalled I spotted the vintage candelabras sitting proudly on top of a walnut cabinet. They were incredible I have never seen anything like them before.
From the 10” wide walnut base to the top of the brass finished finials these 40” tall lamps were a perfect, working and rare example of a “modern” candelabra. The Brass finished frame work was17.5” wide in its middle section and was detailed by 6” by 2” walnut triangles. Three frosted narrow glass globes that were 2.75” wide by 10” tall and suggested candles. These glass “candles” were supported, top and bottom, by 2.5” wide brass finished elements. The entire candle portion of the lamp was a substantial 14.5” tall. One lamp base had some pitting but the other was close to perfect.
They are very interesting and I have not seen anything similar. The only markings that I could find was a label that said Germany on one of the glass lamp shades.
I wrapped each one in its own packing blanket, stowed them into the back of the vehicle, said our good byes and faded back into the murk for our return trip home.
