I Need An Intervention

Now, before you read today's post, go to Existing in BFE for August 30st of last year.  I'll wait.

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.Are you back already?  Did you cheat?  Don't you know I can go back to August 30th of last year and see the spike in my visitor section on Blogger?  If you did cheat, now go to the post last year and I'll wait again.  Jeez.

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Alright, then.  Sorry to be a nag about it.  Ah, don't worry.  I went into an antique store close to downtown last year and spied this great looking lamp.   It was next to the cash register and I couldn't keep my eyes off it.  A cool looking retro something that was just off-kilter enough to catch my eye and compel me to want it in the worst way.  But how do I get past that lofty price?  No way I'm shelling out that much for this neatest of all lighted objects.  

So I waited and waited.  They wouldn't lower the price giving me the old "just saw one on line that went for twice this one blather" BS.   Oh sure, you must think I just rolled off the truck from some hick town in the Midwest.  Oh wait,  I did.  They wouldn't come down in their price so I kept looking on Ebay, and finally one showed up.  I bought it.  Then another, and another and another!!!  I need help.

Some come in blue glass, some in green.  All are just a bit unique and different from the other ones because they are hand-fashioned.  I should say, were had fashioned.  Made by a company called Joey Manic and called the Big Brother they were simply unique and awesome lamps. 

They had a car key for a on-off switch and when it was on a red light would come on in the base.  I saw it at an antique shop here in St. Pete for an astronomical price.  But I had to have one.   

So I checked on Ebay periodically to see if any would come on the market.  

They may or may not be an antique, or even collectible.  But you have to admit they are pretty cool looking.  The last one I got, the scuffed one cost me only $40.00 and I was going to use it for parts.  But these things aren't cars.  Nothing is really going to wear out, so I'm planning on restoring it a bit with new paint and clean it up some.  A real bargain.  For those who like these things.  I don't have any idea who makes it other than Joey manic which is stamped into the top metal plate.  Other than that, I have no idea how many were made or when they were produced.  All I know is I have four of them, and very likely any room I am in has 4 corners.  Perfect!

In the past year I have amassed four of these through Ebay.  Three are the blue style and one is the green.

Looking like a War of the Worlds invasion in the Lanai room, I may have the most Big Brother lamps of anyone in the world.

Each are different in their own way, which leads me to thing some aspects of these are handcrafted.  For instance, the curled tin areas under the block plastic areas are all different on each lamp.

They are surprisingly heavy lamps.  I think the base is molded plaster, then sprayed with a metallic paint.

They are sketchy items to pin down.  If you go to this website it says you can buy one for around $500.  

https://marfalightsandlamps.com/products-page/joey-manic-lamps/

However, they may or may not be in business.  I don't actually want one for that price, as Ebay supplied me with these for considerably less.  

Searching the Internet for info can be elusive as well.  Here is a post from a blog that hasn't been around for a year or more called FunFerde.  This blog features unique decorating ideas.

"You don't just switch on the Big Brother Lamp, you ignite it by turning a key (supplied). Of course that's not the only interesting design element of this thing. Just look at it. Someone clearly watched War of the Worlds before they sat down to build this. If you like your lamps with less sci-fi to them, the blue version is not quite as alien looking as the green. It's about two feet tall and weighs a gazillion pounds, so you don't have to worry about the ungainly (but beautiful!) head tipping it over. "

So, there you have it.  I'll keep looking for the lamps on Ebay, and if you have one in your attic give me call.  I'm hooked, I tell ya.  I need help.  Help.