After we purchased the lake house, we wanted to furnish it with fun but inexpensive furniture that could withstand the wear and tear of damp bathing suits, towels and dirty feet. Most of the furniture and accessories we brought down from our PA home. Some of it came from generous friends and family and some from Craiglist or Ebay. We wanted the house to have a nautical vibe so that was our jumping off point. Enter fisherman lamps….
I found the first two lamps on Ebay. It was an adorable pair of 23″ tall lamps. They were described as Quoizel chalk ware lamps. I loved their sweet faces. I thought the price was decent for a pair of such unique lamps. Of course no one bid on them until I did (isn’t that the way it works?) But, I won them in the final seconds. I was thrilled! The seller wrapped them up extremely well, which I appreciated. (sometimes sellers don’t understand how packages are treated en route). But the boys got here safe and sound. I named them Simon and Sebastian. They stand guard on each side of the tv at the lake. A collection was born. <3
I have several more fisherman lamps at the lake now. I am guessing most of them were made in the 50’s or 60’s and probably hand painted? I’ve seen several of the same fishermen painted different ways. The smaller guys look like ceramic. Most arrived in one piece however a few were not as lucky. (The sellers were very kind and refunded the money on the broken lamps.) Once, the base broke off of a lamp in transit but the fisherman was still in tact (and it wasn’t very expensive so I didn’t say anything to the seller). I kept him as a mantle decoration because he had such a sweet face and I loved his costume…
The other guys are positioned here and there around the house and make me smile every time we go to the lake. I found a fun peg leg captain lamp for my husband’s desk. He is a 3 way lamp so he gives lots of good light and is a fun accent to his desk.
I think I have cornered the market on fisherman lamps. I have a collection of nautical ceiling light fixtures down there as well that I’ll share later. Meanwhile enjoy the cuteness of the boys!
2 comments
Do you buy them? Is there a maker or name that is affiliated to research them to sell? Thanks for your input
Hi there! Thank you for your questions! I only buy them for myself. When I look for them I search “fisherman lamp or sea captain lamp” If you are interested in selling them, I would try eBay or Facebook Marketplace. Good luck!