Weird old lamp

[s1015075]

I would love to find any information on this lamp. it was thrown away In a dumpster. almost didn’t take it because how dirty it was. cleaned up, put a Cord on it. looks great.

 

[tolivac]

For us flashoholics-actually a neat light-like the lower level reading light.Interesting.nice color.

 

[s1015075]

Oh so that was a reading light on the switch. Thought it was a nighttime light.

 

[human]

I love it. That's definitely an artifact from the mid-20th century when everything was over-engineered. Glad you rescued it.

 

[vac-o-matic]

That is sooo cool! Very MCM, nice rescue!

 

[tolivac]

Now I want one!!!This appears to be a light that is not easy to find.

 

[tolivac]

Is there any sort of brand or manufacturer name on it?At least that would be a clue to go by.

 

[human]

There seems to be a decal visible in the photo in reply #2 but it's a bit out of focus. The only thing I can make out clearly is "No. 306 Lamp". The rest is blurred. Perhaps another shot of that sticker could clear things up a bit (no pun intended).

 

[s1015075]

Clear photos

 

[madman]

Noice.

 

[blknblu]

Looks like Hill-Rom is still around .. started out making hospital furniture
Founded in 1929 in Batesville, Indiana (see sticker on lamp)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill-Rom

Besides Hill-Rom, William A. Hillenbrand also founded Hillenbrand (still in Batesville, Indiana)
https://www.hillenbrand.com/history

 

[tolivac]

These companies also build Batesville caskets-strange a company that builds lights and coffins!and to top it off other hospital furniture!

 

[human]

The question is, do they put lights inside their caskets?

 

[madman]

Actually if you think about it, the lamp does look like something you'd find in a hospital, in, say, the '60s.

Probably explains its oddities. The downward facing little light is probably a nightlight for patients to see the floor when they need to get to the bathroom.

Or whatever.

 

[huskyvacs]

Definitely 1950's industrial art-deco lamp. A lot of people selling them tag them as 1940's but that shade of blue was more of a 1950's color.

Also that is a reading lamp, as this lamp would set by the bedside and the main lights would likely be off after-hours. A lot of auctions say this is a insane asylum lamp, lol

Hill-Rom is a hospital/medical supplier so that's certain where it would have been used. One just sold on eBay in March for $130, so I'd say you got a hell of a find there! Your color might be a rare color because I only seen a couple in blue, and mostly all of them are in white. I guess blue did not blend in well with a lot of hospitals.

Take care of it, it will be the only lamp you ever will need!

 

[dirtsniffer]

Know this is an older thread but had to add

We had few similar lamps in a bar/hotel my parents had. The lower light was to low to read by so i think they were more for navigation. And if that company put lights in their caskets did the light go off when the lid shut? Sorry but couldn't stop myself!

 

[justjunque]

Donovan

Wow! Nice find!

All I can tell you about it is that I love it.
And, like someone else said...now I want one!

Barry