Child Riding Mythological Hippocampus Sea Horse Composite Figural Lamps - A Pair

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Mid-20th century rare and unique pair of figural lamps featuring a young child riding the majestic mythological Hippocampus with the … Read more Mid-20th century rare and unique pair of figural lamps featuring a young child riding the majestic mythological Hippocampus with the lamp fittings emerging from a piece that looks like a shell or a piece of pink coral that resembles a funnel. Although you can see the tassels that can be used to turn on either bulb there is also an additional switch on the cord. The lamp is made of composition material. The top light bulb area is hinged so you can lean the shade in a different direction. A unique and fun piece that would be a great conversation piece in any room.

History of Hippokampoi or Hippocamps or Hippocampus from Theoi:

HIPPOKAMPOI (Hippocamps) were the fish-tailed horses of the sea. They were depicted as composite creatures with the head and fore-parts of a horse and the serpentine-tail of a fish. In mosaic art they were often had green scales and fish-fin manes and appendages.

The ancients believed they were the adult-form of the small fish we call the "sea-horse". Hippokampoi were the mounts of Nereid nymphs and sea-gods, and Poseidon drove a chariot drawn by two or four of the creatures. See less