Prop Runner
Sr Member
Hey guys.
Thought I'd take a break from my adventures surrounding the Han Solo blaster and Obi Wan saber discoveries and revisit MY favorite movie of all time: BLADE RUNNER.
A few months ago, our tireless Blade Runner archeologist and researcher, Nick Daring, graciously shared with us his latest (public) discovery: the art-deco Dazor "Flying Saucer" lamp that rested on Deckard's piano and against which his sepia-tone family photos and sheet music were leaning. This is the lamp that provides such warm, fuzzy light to the intimate scene where Deckard first makes a pass at Rachel.
Well, I went ahead and hit eBay until I finally found a terrific specimen with the correct vertical stand, and my friends, it's a thing of beauty...
Practically in MINT condition, and the saucer-arm linkage simply uses cantilever friction to remain at whatever height on the post that I set it to - the nylon bearing in the linkage has a slightly oversized inner diameter, thus allowing some forward tilt that permits the post to capture it.
Here is the lamp as seen in the movie and below it is the one I just received, with a sample of my other BR found-item props and replicas that I've accumulated over the years:
The saucer section (sorry, Trek fans - don't know what else to call it ) flips upside down so I have the option of diffused or direct light. The metal section has a removable pinhole grating that allows replacement of the 60-watt bulb, and the other side is an opaque spun-fiberglass diffuser that has yellowed slightly with age but still gives off a wonderful natural warm yellow-orange glow:
Now that I have this lamp, I got an urge to see what other lighting Deckard had in his dark, smokey apartment. I was amazed to have found no less than 8 additional models that appear to be found items. I've positively identified one, as you will see below:
I can't tell if #2 is a floor-standing Torchiere or a table-top Torchiere with some sort of illuminated 4-sided base.
#3's a monster: 4 wrought iron legs and most definitely art-deco.
#4 appears to be an executive desk lamp of some sort.
#5 could have been custom-made for the film, but they remind me alot of 60's style minimalistic Italian design. They might even be mounted upside down.
If I didn't know any better, I'd say #6 look like they're mounted to a headboard of a bed - otherwise, why would there be two?
#7 is likely another 50's or 60's vintage desk lamp.
#8 is the only Deckard lamp I've been able to positively ID so far (I haven't really tried with the others yet, but searching for "saturn lamp" paid off on the first try (a real no-brainer - but after sifting first through dozens of GM Saturn tail light assemblies :lol ) Frikkin EXPENSIVE though, but thankfully not too rare...
And finally...
#9 leaves me scratching my head. It's either custom-made for the set, or it's some kind of funky light-art statue that I'd guess is psychadelic 60's era or possibly 30's art-deco. Reminds me a lot of those cheasy alien computer monitors seen in the TOS Trek episodes... :lol Good frakkin luck to me and anyone else IDing this one.
Well, there you have it, Blade Runner fans. Deckard's pad had no less than 9 lamps, one-third of which were never on during the movie. There's one recessed lamp built into a Frank Lloyd wright tile alcove, and another one above the sink in the kitchen, but that was obviously part of the set design or built into the range hood (stove ventilator). I didn't bother with the bathroom light.
I'd be grateful if anyone could help ID lamps 2,3,4,5,6,7, and 9, and feel free to discuss this and any other Blade Runner set pieces, like this little bronze chicken:
Hopefully Nick can get his pics restored to the wonderful Blade Runner "Web of Props" thread and the two can then be merged and archived.
Thanks a million candlight power to Whackychimp for hosting these enlightening pics. :thumbsup
- Gabe
Thought I'd take a break from my adventures surrounding the Han Solo blaster and Obi Wan saber discoveries and revisit MY favorite movie of all time: BLADE RUNNER.
A few months ago, our tireless Blade Runner archeologist and researcher, Nick Daring, graciously shared with us his latest (public) discovery: the art-deco Dazor "Flying Saucer" lamp that rested on Deckard's piano and against which his sepia-tone family photos and sheet music were leaning. This is the lamp that provides such warm, fuzzy light to the intimate scene where Deckard first makes a pass at Rachel.
Well, I went ahead and hit eBay until I finally found a terrific specimen with the correct vertical stand, and my friends, it's a thing of beauty...
Practically in MINT condition, and the saucer-arm linkage simply uses cantilever friction to remain at whatever height on the post that I set it to - the nylon bearing in the linkage has a slightly oversized inner diameter, thus allowing some forward tilt that permits the post to capture it.Here is the lamp as seen in the movie and below it is the one I just received, with a sample of my other BR found-item props and replicas that I've accumulated over the years:
The saucer section (sorry, Trek fans - don't know what else to call it
) flips upside down so I have the option of diffused or direct light. The metal section has a removable pinhole grating that allows replacement of the 60-watt bulb, and the other side is an opaque spun-fiberglass diffuser that has yellowed slightly with age but still gives off a wonderful natural warm yellow-orange glow:
Now that I have this lamp, I got an urge to see what other lighting Deckard had in his dark, smokey apartment. I was amazed to have found no less than 8 additional models that appear to be found items. I've positively identified one, as you will see below:
I can't tell if #2 is a floor-standing Torchiere or a table-top Torchiere with some sort of illuminated 4-sided base.
#3's a monster: 4 wrought iron legs and most definitely art-deco.
#4 appears to be an executive desk lamp of some sort.
#5 could have been custom-made for the film, but they remind me alot of 60's style minimalistic Italian design. They might even be mounted upside down.
If I didn't know any better, I'd say #6 look like they're mounted to a headboard of a bed - otherwise, why would there be two?
#7 is likely another 50's or 60's vintage desk lamp.
#8 is the only Deckard lamp I've been able to positively ID so far (I haven't really tried with the others yet, but searching for "saturn lamp" paid off on the first try (a real no-brainer - but after sifting first through dozens of GM Saturn tail light assemblies :lol ) Frikkin EXPENSIVE though, but thankfully not too rare...
And finally...
#9 leaves me scratching my head. It's either custom-made for the set, or it's some kind of funky light-art statue that I'd guess is psychadelic 60's era or possibly 30's art-deco. Reminds me a lot of those cheasy alien computer monitors seen in the TOS Trek episodes... :lol Good frakkin luck to me and anyone else IDing this one.
Well, there you have it, Blade Runner fans. Deckard's pad had no less than 9 lamps, one-third of which were never on during the movie. There's one recessed lamp built into a Frank Lloyd wright tile alcove, and another one above the sink in the kitchen, but that was obviously part of the set design or built into the range hood (stove ventilator). I didn't bother with the bathroom light.
I'd be grateful if anyone could help ID lamps 2,3,4,5,6,7, and 9, and feel free to discuss this and any other Blade Runner set pieces, like this little bronze chicken:
Hopefully Nick can get his pics restored to the wonderful Blade Runner "Web of Props" thread and the two can then be merged and archived.
Thanks a million candlight power to Whackychimp for hosting these enlightening pics.
:thumbsup - Gabe
