Vintage Darth Vader Ceramic lamp with shade

[decaturvader]

So, I've had this lamp I wanted to show the group - not real sure where to start the thread, so I picked here :$

Back in the early 80's, my Mom was really into ceramics.
Santa houses with glitter, pumpkins, owls, etc..you name it.

Well, she made me this Darth Vader lamp one year.

Now, I'm quite sure it was already molded - she just probably prepped it, painted it, cooked it.

In all these years of being online in general, I have never seen another one. I also have never seen it show up in any of the books over the years, like Sansweet's.

So, I present to the RPF =

It's pretty heavy and the fixture still works.

It sat in my brother's room for a bit and received a little damage to the right tusk and a chip out of the helmet brow.

The shade is really neat, but has no markings, no TMs or Copyrights anywhere that I can see.

It's solid with exception to the hole running through the center for the fixture wiring.

Anyone ever see this before now?

 

[kxazbug]

wow! sorry ive never seen but a really cool peice..she did a great job making that way back then...even the shade is awesome!

 

[dcarty]

Cool! I'd be willing to bet money that the base is derived from the old AMT Darth Vader bust model kit.

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

Cool! I'd be willing to bet money that the base is derived from the old AMT Darth Vader bust model kit.

My first thought as well.

I think it´s one of those Mexican knockoffs, there are several busts and lamps out there, I think "carnival lamps" is the correct term?

 

[TazMan2000]

Cool. You can switch him to the light side or dark side with a simple turn of a switch.

TazMan2000

 

[moffeaton]

I think I had something similar - it was ceramic - my mom fired it in the kiln we had.


https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150421653898156&l=f0b518cc76

 

[asemblyrequired]

i really liked my model kit growing up. If i remember correctly it had brushes for the breathing. need to break it out and finish building it.


-james

 

[decaturvader]

My first thought as well.

I think it´s one of those Mexican knockoffs, there are several busts and lamps out there, I think "carnival lamps" is the correct term?

wow, uncanny resemblance.
It does appear to have been the base for the ceramic.
Looks like the angle of the head is a bit different, overall head is a bit lower.
If they cast the model to make this bust, which seems the case, was it pretty simple to get printed lampshades made back in the day? It clearly isn't something someone whipped up at the ceramic shop. This fact also adds to my confusion. I wish I'd at least see another lamp shade like this one in Google images or something. :cool