My Treasures

Black Forest Lamp

 This lamp has been in my husband's family for years. It belonged to his Mother's brother. His father gave it to us a few years ago because he felt it would fit in well with our woodland setting. Thinking back to the day he gave it to us, I thought he told us that Uncle carved it. There are no stampings on the piece. Hubby can't recall the history. He just knows that it sat on his Dad's desk for years until he gifted it to us. The lamp is a hair taller than 12 inches.

We believe the wildlife to be cat, crane, dog and stork in the back.

Paint spots (that remind me of garland on a Christmas tree) decorate the shade, and twigs were added to tie everything together.

The shade appears to be made of paper, punched and covered with several coats of shellack on both surfaces.

It's a delightful little lamp that gives me the warm fuzzy feeling of home. 

I hope you've enjoyed my little treasure.

A Postscript:

After posting it dawned on me that the animals on the lamp may represent a story or fable. I found this one by Aesop.

"The Wolf and the Crane

A Wolf had been gorging on an animal he had killed, when suddenly a small bone in the meat stuck in his throat and he could not swallow it. He soon felt terrible pain in his throat, and ran up and down groaning and groaning and seeking for something to relieve the pain. He tried to induce every one he met to remove the bone. "I would give anything," said he, "if you would take it out." At last the Crane agreed to try, and told the Wolf to lie on his side and open his jaws as wide as he could. Then the Crane put its long neck down the Wolf's throat, and with its beak loosened the bone, till at last it got it out.

"Will you kindly give me the reward you promised?" said the
Crane.

The Wolf grinned and showed his teeth and said: "Be content. You have put your head inside a Wolf's mouth and taken it out again in safety; that ought to be reward enough for you."

Gratitude and greed go not together."

Can you think of any others?