Fish TV Lamps

Umpteen TV lamps were made with fish as the subject, and the theme was a great opportunity for designers to be creative with their renderings of waves and various aquatic creatures.

	value:  rarity: Very attractive Gilner Angelfish lamp! Photo courtesy of Norma Belmonte, Necedah, WI.
	Same as the lamp above, but in chartreuse with a white dripped glaze. Photo courtesy of Woodland Trace Collectibles/Bill Keller, Knoxville, TN.
	Back view of the lamp above. The Gilner marking can be seen on the base.
	value:  rarity: This distinctive Royal Haeger fish is poised in front of a fiberglass shade. Photo courtesy of Woodland Trace Collectibles/Bill Keller, Knoxville, TN.
	It might look odd, but the upside-down fixture visible on the back of the Haeger fish TV lamp is a clever design, allowing for easy access to the on/off switch.
	Most often found in the color seen above, this gray with green drip glaze is unusual.
	Back view of the gray Haeger fish.
	value:  rarity: One of my favorite Haeger designs, this one is in a seldom-seen color. It is more typically found in green.
	Back view of the Haeger fish TV lamp.
	value:  rarity: This Haeger Potteries TV lamp has the distinction of being unusual for two significant reasons. The red glaze (A true red, not maroon) is extremely rare, and the size... it's 21" tall! Photos courtesy of Dave Heatherly of Granger, Indiana.
	Here's the back of this tremendous angelfish lamp!
	For a long time I was unable to confirm that this is indeed a Haeger product. Many thanks to Carole Christensen for the attribution!
	value:  rarity: Often I'll have a feeling about who might have made an unmarked TV lamp, but regarding these fish...I haven't a clue! I don't see a stylistic similarity between these fish and any other. The glaze has a matte quality, rather than the glossy finish found on so many.
	Back view of the yellow fish.
	value:  rarity: Here we have a TV lamp in its natural habitat...perched on top of a vintage television! This Lane Sailfish is a beauty, and one of the more desirable Lane products. These can easily bring over $400. Photos courtesy of Kay Snodgrass of Evansville, IN.
	A closer look reveals the care that went into the airbrushing of details on these lamps, resulting in an impressive level of realism.
	The Lane marking on the sailfish indicates a date of 1957. A very similar sailfish, dated 1956, was made by Lane as a planter only, with no provision for lighting.
	value:  rarity: Lane & Co. also made a version of their sailfish without a planter, a rare variation. Photos courtesy of eBay seller, zstuff.
	Back view.
	The fixture has a paper Lane & Co. label that includes the UL certification.
	value:  rarity: These humorous fish aren't usually found with a label, but it's said to have been made by American Art Potteries in Morton, Illinois. It can be found with many two-tone color variations. This design was also made by Texans Inc., with the only difference being in the number of waves on the base.
	Back view of the fish TV lamp.
	value:  rarity: Very nice, hard to find fish lamp from Beauceware. Photo courtesy of Beauceboys, Ottawa, Canada.
	value:  rarity: Good grief, how many TV lamps did Lane & Co. make?! I'm surprised that this beautiful design isn't seen more often. Photos courtesy of Ellaine Feferman of Toronto, Ontario.
	Back view of the Lane boy and dolphin. Wasn't that a Sophia Loren movie?
	Here's a detail of the dolphin-riding boy.
	value:  rarity: A theme also used by Lane & Co., this rare Maddux of California Boy on a Dolphin TV lamp is finished in a glaze with an antique bronze look. Photos courtesy of Chris from Ashton, Illinois.
	Another angle.
	Back view.
	While TV lamps are generally considered to date from the '50s, this Maddux is clearly marked © 1966.
	It looks particularly nice when seen in silhouette.
	value:  rarity: Given the recent popularity of talking, singing bass, Delcraft seems to have been ahead of their time! Photos courtesy of Remember When Collectibles & Antiques, Beausejour, Manitoba, Canada.
	Side view.
	Back view.
	Delcraft marking.
	Gee, that trout's beautiful in the right lighting!
	value:  rarity: Here's another of those seldom-seen Claes TV lamps! Photos courtesy of Antqfrek, Salisbury, NC.
	Side view of the Claes fish.
	Back view of the Claes fish.
	Here is a variation on the Claes fish shown above, this one with different coloration poised on a green base. The base bears a strong resemblance to the one used on the "Glowing-Eyed Bucking Bronco T-V Lamp." It is marked, WH ©54 Claes Copyright. Photo courtesy of eBay seller, icolectoyz.
	value:  rarity: Using the faux-wood finish that Treasure Craft used so often, this fanciful fish TV lamp is similar to one produced by Gilner Potteries. Photos courtesy of Diane from Ohio.
	Back view.
	Treasure Craft included a planter area for their fish.
	While unmarked, this is clearly a Treasure Craft design. One can see where the foil label was once attached.
	value:  rarity: Anyone yearning to adorn their new TV with the image of a leaping fish could have done worse than purchase one of these chalkware beauties by Zerbini.
	Back view.
	The Zerbini marking as it appears on their trout lamp.
	value:  rarity: Don't know what a Dhufish is? This is a Dhufish! Popular with Australian sportsmen, they are known for being large and, well... tasty! Photos courtesy of Philicia Antiques & Collectables Pty. Ltd., 317 Goodwood Road, Kings Park. Adelaide. South Australia. 5034.
	The Wembley Ware Dhufish was sold as either a vase or a TV lamp.
	Who wouldn't want one of these on the TV? The glaze is just beautiful!
	Plenty of room for the bulb!
	On the bottom is the Wembley Ware marking.
	value:  rarity: This seldom-seen sailfish TV lamp is another design that was sold by both Mar-Lita and Texans Incorporated. Photos courtesy of David Cole from Bangs, Texas.
	Back-view of the Mar-Lita/Texans sailfish TV lamp.
	value:  rarity: Undoubtedly one of the most ambitious designs produced by Enchanto, this dolphin TV lamp was beautifully sculpted. It was decorated with a fabulous swirled glaze of white, pink and gold, a finish that Enchanto used on several of their products.
	Back view.  Enchanto called it the E126 Dolphin Lamp.
	value:  rarity: As with the Mt. Rushmore TV lamp, this unassuming Maddux of California Fish TV lamp was designed by the renowned sculptor Carl Romanelli. Photo courtesy of George Martin from Little Valley, New York.
	The Romanelli marking is on the back.
	value:  rarity: Wearing a black finish with dripped white decoration, this is one of the less common Hollywood Ceramics TV lamps. Photos courtesy of Ron from Caldwell, Idaho.
	Back view.
	value:  rarity: This medley of sea life is the result of a particularly creative time at Lane & Co. After dominating the TV lamp market in the '50s and early '60s, the mid 1960s demanded new designs to keep them selling. Photos courtesy of R.L. Rising of Rising Sky Artworks.
	value:  rarity: Now this is a TV lamp, folks! The woman, hanging onto a rather large fish, poses spectacularly from behind a seashell. At 19½" tall, this one would have dwarfed most televisions of the day. Haeger also made it in a table lamp version. Photos courtesy of Char Korcz, Carpentersville, Illinois.
	Here's a look at the back of the "nude with fish" TV lamp.
	The fixture is mounted in the shell, and highlights the woman beautifully.
	value:  rarity: A more contemporary style than was typically employed at Haeger, this fish TV lamp is extremely rare. Photos courtesy of eBay seller adams1959.
	Close up.
	Back view.
	The fish bears the typical foil Haeger label.
	Looking swell!
	value:  rarity: This unmarked swordfish reminds me little of certain lamps by Enchanto Company. Photos courtesy of Linda from Bullhead City, Arizona.
	The base in particular is similar in style to Enchanto's dolphin TV lamp.
	Back view.
	It's sure purty when lit!
	This Beachcomber's fish brandishes the lustrous glaze that the company is known for, and also features an open eye similar to the Leland Claes designs. Photos courtesy of Michael & Crystal from An Acquiring Mind Antiques.
	Back view.
	The translucent clay used by Beachcomber's is particularly effective on their TV lamps.
	Foil Beachcomber's label as found on the fish lamp.
	value:  rarity: These fish remind me a little of a design by Maddux of California, but this one was made by Wales. Photos courtesy of eBay seller, lakerat91.
	Back view of the Wales tropical fish.
	value:  rarity: Similar in many ways to other Japanese TV lamps, this fish design by Lipper & Mann is fairly uncommon.
	The bottom is marked both with this ink stamp and...
	...a foil label.
	value:  rarity: A small yet attractive swordfish by Hollywood Ceramics.
	Small though it is, there's still room for a planter... sort of.

Home   -   Manufacturers   -   Subjects   -   Newsletter   -   Collector's Club   -   Contact