Mint The Shop

Brass peacock lamp

I don’t think that these photos really do this lamp any justice – I couldn’t get far back enough to get a full shot of this lovely peacock! I know some of you out there might think I’m crazy, but I think that this lamp is very cool indeed – unfortunately so did my brother when we first spotted it, and seeing as I tend to buy a lot more than him, I relented and let him take it home. A few years down the line, and my brother’s decided to de-clutter his life so has returned the peacock to its rightful home: Mint. There are a few issues with the lamp – I’d prefer a black switch to the white one it currently has, but I don’t think that’s a massive job to sort out. The second issue is the choice of shade – I actually don’t think it looks too bad with a small round globe, but you could also go the more kitsch route and get one of those tiny angled shade’s made up – you know the ones that look like they should have tassles dangling off the bottom? But I think given the fact that it’s so over the top to begin with, it might be better to go with something simple. It’s not the most detailed of portraits of a peacock, but it’s shortcomings are more than made up for by it’s fabulous fan of feathers – quite dramatic. The perfect bedside lamp for a quirky, character-filled guest bedroom.

Dimensions: 33cm tall x 13.5cm in diamater (at the base)

Price: R300

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Vintage Japanese skittle lamp

This is by far the coolest desk lamp I’ve ever seen! I challenge anyone to show me something more quirky – seriously. When my secret collector friend first showed it to me I was blown away – I think I swooned just a bit when I opened it up and saw it in action. It can sit three ways: closed in the shape of a skittle; sitting on its base with the hood of the light exposed; or turned upside down with access to the control dial. The last option is the correct way to use it as a functioning light. The control dial has a dimmer on it so that you can use it as soft mood lighting or as a bright light for reading. There’s some wear to the dial, and the plastic casing has some scratches here and there, but it’s so cool that I’m prepared to overlook a wee bit of damage. I’d be happy to re-design my house around this lamp – well not really, but pretty darn close. A winner of a lamp that’s looking for a worthy home.

Dimensions: 25cm tall x 10cm in diameter

Price: R450

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I’ve been calling this little lamp my Frankie (as in Frankenstein) because its current form is definitely not how it was originally intended to be. That being said I really like how it looks: the base is great and reminds me of something that should have been in a ‘50s movie house, and I love the roughness of the shade. I particularly like the Hubbell logo on the side of the shade – a classic retro design. While it’s definitely been adapted I think that the shade and the base were still intended to go together, but I think it’s possibly missing a second pole that would have brought the lamp up to a more standard height. At the moment it does sit at a bit of an odd height, but I think it’d look great in the corner of a room and would still make quite an impact.

Dimensions: 80cm tall; diameter of shade – 14cm; diameter of base – 30cm

Price: R350

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Top view of art deco lamp

This is probably the most serious lamp I’ve ever sold. It’s an original art deco piece, and I think it’s probably from the early deco period (i.e. 30s/40s as opposed to the 1960s). The base could do with some restoration – it just needs to be sanded and varnished, the wood itself is fine. The chrome pole is in really great condition considering its age, and is quite a feature. I love the little shelf which is perfect for balancing a nice glass of wine or an evening sherry on it. I haven’t had a chance to have a shade made for it, so bought one off the shelf. If you’d rather have your own shade made I’m selling the lamp either with or without the shade (see prices below), although I don’t think that this shade looks too out of keeping with the base. A real statement piece that will make the room given the right home.

Note: the plastic cover is still on the shade which is why it appears shiny – it does have a slightly metallic finish, but not a high shine like it appears in the pics.

Dimensions: 179cm tall; diameter of shade – 46cm; diameter of shelf – 36cm; diameter of base – 46cm

Price: R1300 incl shade / R1100 excl shade

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1980s Floor Lamp

I’m not normally a massive fan of the ’80s, but this standard lamp won my heart the moment I first spotted it! I’m guessing it’s from the 1980s based on the design (black metal, plastic flexible arm, the light weight metal used for the shade), but it’s still a guess and it may well be earlier than that. The thing that I really like about this lamp is the fixed angle of the arm – it makes it quite an unusual piece, and is a feature that you’re seeing more and more in contemporary lighting designs. The base of the lamp is very solid, but the shade is made of a much more pliable and light-weight metal and as such has one or two dings in it – although they’re not really noticeable unless you’re looking for them. This lamp is great value for money and would look fantastic in a modern setting.

Dimensions: 160cm tall; Base – 25cm in diameter; Shade – 19cm in diameter

Price: R495

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