While out shopping the other day I noted this chalkware lamp in a store window, (Please note that is my coffee cup on the table). As a kid, I vaguely remember seeing some chalkware pieces. I guess the thing with chalkware is that it chips or breaks easily and is heavy, so not many pieces are still out there. The price of this lamp is listed for $30. So, I snapped a photo of this lamp and went on my way.
The dancing figure almost reminds me of a Petter Pan. He is wearing an exotic golden costume with an open shirt and his finely painted face looks slightly Asian. The base is a swirl pattern painted silver. This looks like a retro 1950’s piece.
However, I don’t notice any chips or parts that were glued back on.
Background on Chalkware Pieces
So, a little more history on chalkware. Chalkware lamps are decorative lamps made out of molded plaster of Paris or gypsum material. The pieces and lamps were popular in the Depression era, 1950’s and early 20th century. Often, they would imitate expensive English pieces. Chalkware lamps generally were made hollow and then painted with watercolors or oil paints.
Often one would see lamps and figurines made of chalkware. My mother had a boy and girl figure of chalkware that were dressed in blue/white with wooden shoes. Definitely, trying to look like children from Holland. She hung them up on her kitchen wall.
Now, today things are made of ceramic or plastic and not chalkware.
MCM Reglor of Chalifornia Lamps
Well, back to the lamp in the local store window. Please note, I am not an antique expect on any level, however, this lamp looks like a rare MCM Reglor of California lamp.
According to my online research, MCM chalkware lamps were often made in romantic figures with a bit of exotic thrown in. Common figures and lamps were often sold in a pair as matching males and females. A popular motif was of stereotypical African, Asian, Native America or Hawaiian people in exotic consumes. The lamps were often sold with low light bulbs. A genuine MCM lamp should have a marking of such in the lamp base, etc.
Reglor also made unusual lamp shades shaped like a “Coolies Hat” which are also highly sought after.
When the MCM lamps became popular, many competitors began to make and sell copies to cash in on their popularity. Benjamin and Rena Stein of Reglor of California sued competitors and took their case all the way to the US Supreme Court. They won their case; however, this did not stop those from making copies of their products.
The MCM company of Montebello, California went out of business in 1975 when the building burned.
Today on different online auction sites, MCM lamps can be sold for hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Ending Notes
Although, online, I found nothing similar to this particular lamp. The way the figure is posed, and his facial characteristics are similar to other MCM pieces, tells me this might be a genuine piece. Also, the figure on the lamp is finely painted with bright colors.
Now I wish I would have looked on the back or the base for a marking on the base for a Reglor of California marking. Unfortunately, I did not do this. What do my Readers think – Is this the valuable real deal or a copycat?
But as things go, I’m glad I learned a little bit more of chalkware and this lamp will probably remain a mystery. But as far as Farmhouse Magic Blog goes, a little mystery and magic keeps life interesting.
Resource Sites: Wikipedia and WWW.Bing.com