1980s Maitland-Smith Bronze Giraffe Lamp With a Penshell Shade

Details

Description

This Maitland-Smith lamp is a delightful model that is rarely seen. The giraffe is made from patinated bronze with a … Read more This Maitland-Smith lamp is a delightful model that is rarely seen. The giraffe is made from patinated bronze with a verdigris finish mounted on top of a base that appears to be blocks glued together. The shade is made from individually cut pieces of crackled penshell that have been attached to a fiberglass form. A great deal of artisanal work went into creating this lamp, skills that are still being practiced in the Philippines, the country in which this lamp was manufactured. It is a vintage model and is in remarkably good condition. The only issue that I have found is a small hole in the penshell shade (refer to picture 11). Other than that, it is fully functional. The underside of the base is lined with a beige felt, making it easy to move the lamp around without damaging any surfaces. The Maitland-Smith label is attached to this felt cover (refer to picture 16).

This is an impressively large and heavy lamp, weighing 20 pounds. The electric cord is a generous 11 feet long, ideal for reaching those faraway outlets. I would recommend using two 25-watt appliance bulbs in the two sockets under the shade, as shown in picture 18. The penshell shade is stationary, being attached firmly in the giraffe's mouth without any movement possible.

Measurements

Height: 21"
Width: 24"
Depth: 13"
Diameter of the shade: 13"
Height of the giraffe: 17"

The base alone is 14" wide and 9.25" deep. See less