Mar-Lita Lamp Corporation
The Mar-Lita Lamp Corporation was owned by Hugh Gantt of Mayfield, Kentucky. In 1951-52 Gantt, who owned the Polynesian Arts Co. in Mayfield, created the Mar-Lita facility in Bangs, Texas as the assembly and sales branch of Texans Incorporated. The association with Texans only lasted a year, and few lamps are found with the Mar-Lita stamp on the protective felt. The TV lamps shown below are all Mar-Lita designs, but if unmarked could have been made in Bangs after Mar-Lita became part of Texans Inc. Texans kept some of the Mar-Lita models in production for years, even after they acquired Howard Kron as their head designer.
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value: rarity:This Mar-Lita TV lamp reminds one of Lane or Maddux's treatment of the same subject. The base, however, is unique on this example. Besides this airbrushed finish, this horse is also found with a single-color glaze. Many thanks to Ed Scroggins of Norman, Oklahoma for the use of his photos as well as his investigation into the maker of this lamp! |
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The base of this lamp is quite tall, and rather than the bulb being set at the back of the lamp, or perhaps mounted inside a planter-type area facing up, Mar-Lita has the bulb almost completely enclosed. Only three small openings behind the horse permit light, and heat, to escape upwards. I've got to believe that many of these were damaged by too large a bulb being used. |
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The protective felt bottom on this TV lamp carries the only indication of the maker. Much like the "Texans Inc." found on later TV lamps, this one has been ink stamped. While not completely legible, it says, MAR-LITA LAMP CORPORATION, MANUFACTURERS, 700(?) W. MAIN ST. LOUISVILLE 2(?) KY. |
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Here's an example of Mar-Lita's horse that appears identical to the one above, but on further inspection... |
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...one sees that the bulb is not enclosed. This reworking of the mold was no doubt to address heat issues. |
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value: rarity: Mar-Lita Lamp Co. only marked their products with a stamp on the felt base, missing from this example. As a result, it's unclear whether this hunting dog was made during the early Mar-Lita period or is a true Texans Incorporated product. Photos courtesy of Fran from Las Cruces, New Mexico. |
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Back-view of the Mar-Lita hunting dog TV lamp. |
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Not a complicated design, it's nevertheless a skillfully sculpted lamp. |
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value: rarity: This pretty Mar-Lita duck TV lamp is not found too often. Too bad the lead duck has a broken neck, but at least it doesn't appear to be slowing him down! As with all Mar-Lita TV lamps, they were actually produced by Texans Incorporated. Unless the original felt is present and stamped it's impossible to differentiate between them. |
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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. |
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Back-view of the Mar-Lita/Texans sailfish TV lamp. |
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value: rarity: This "crouching panther" style is one of the few TV lamps made at Texans Incorporated that was not designed by Howard Kron. The Texans Inc. plant got its start with the Mar-Lita Lamp Corporation functioning as the assembly and sales branch, and this model was a carry-over design from that company. (Kron did re-work the design slightly, restoring lost detail) The only clue as to the maker is the "Texans Inc. Bangs, Texas" stamp on the felt base. Photo courtesy of Vicki Courtney. |
