Gerald Thurston - Cricket Lamp:

A couple of Saturdays ago I was actually up early enough to attend a few yard sales. After following some very misleading signs to an address, I got turned around geographically. Let me explain that I never get geographically challenged. It's a built in thing I've come to trust more than GPS. So I found myself in one of those hollows where numerous streets converge and I got so mixed up that I was convinced some neighborhood kids had played a prank by reversing street signs. "These guys are good" I told myself passing one after another after another until I couldn't justify that the kids had actually been so thorough as to change every sign in the neighborhood that I finally had a moment.

After I recovered my composure and bearings I took a turn and there was the sale. Tah Dah! There in plain sight was this fabulous mid century desk lamp. I thought to myself, "I'm gonna buy that bitch whatever it costs." I greeted the lady and browsed about the remaining junk, Happy Meal toys, cheap clutter, clothing and bits and pieces of hardware. I wandered over to the table and saw the price tag. "Oh sure...that's why it's the only item left on the table. It's $100.00. I move a little closer and let me say that I recently started wearing reader glasses. Who am I kidding, I'm up to 2.00 magnification. I search for the readers for a minute then remember that they are on my head.

After sliding them down on my nose I glance at the price again and it magically changed to $10.00. Woo Hoo! I've been in the junk business since I was thirteen years old when I set up a booth at a local flea market and I know how to haggle or more appropriately when not to haggle. I promptly pulled out a ten dollar bill. The lady informed me that she collects lamps of the 40's and 50's.

OH?

"Would you happen to have anymore lamps inside your home that you would be willing to part with?" I love talking my way into strangers homes. It's another of my talents but that's another story. "No I don't but I'd be happy to show some of them to you. Inside her 1920's bungalow was a mid century museum. I recognized several design stars from the past but others were completely unknown to me. I'm pretty good at identifying a designer or a specific piece but many of the zany fixtures were so obscure I hadn't a clue. We exchanged numbers in case she should change her mind and off I went with my new lamp, one in which I wasn't so sure of the designer but was very familiar with the manufacturer, Lightolier.

After snapping this picture I uploaded it to Google images and instantly came up with Gerald Thurston Cricket Lamp. Gerald is so far off the celebrity designer radar that no biographical information is available. However his and furniture routinely fetch high dollars. I quickly and mentally moved this item over to the assets for future retirement column.