Edition #27: Pierrot Clown Lamps
For those that need a little sad clown in their life.
I had a very busy few weeks, so thank you all for your patience as I pick this newsletter back up! Also FYI: I have an Etsy shop now of handpicked vintage clothing & accessories.
Clowns may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but Pierrot has been a beloved character for 500 years. The classic black-and-white clown is a pantomime, mainly depicted as a poetic harlequin figure mostly found in European culture. In the 1900s, you’ll see Pierrot start to make appearances as paintings, mugs, vases, figurines and, yes, lamps. These were usually ceramic and simply crafted with minimal decorations besides the telltale (usually) black buttons and ruffled collar. Even Picasso had a thing for the solemn, sad clown.
Vintage large Pierrot globe lamp on Etsy: The globe-style lamp is what drew me to these in the first place. This feels more like a fortune teller than a clown, to be honest.
Vintage 1980s Ceramic Harlequin Pierrot Clown Table Lamp Working Condition on eBay: The simplicity of the drawing is just darling. You can even turn this lamp around when your normie friends come over.
White 70s- 80s ceramic lamp, pierrot - 80s bulb lamp. Ceramic art eighties table lamp clown / circus on Etsy: The all monochrome white is even more chic than with the added black accents. This one also includes a globe bulb.
Vintage Pierrot Porcelain Lamp for Table or Bedside, in working condition, & with light bulb on Etsy: Look at this little guy! With the ring around his eye, he looks more like Petey than Pierrot. (also I removed it from the photo, but the cord basically comes out of his butthole, so proceed with caution)
Porcelaine Pierrot Table Lamp FRENCH Vintage 1970s/80s Sad Clown Light on Etsy: If the facial expression and over the top ruffle don’t scream ‘80s home decor to you, I don’t know what will.
Vintage Italian Florence GIUSEPPE ARMANI Ceramic Table Lamp PIERROT Clown on eBay: Not many of the Pierrot lamps had shades, but the few that did were adorable. Baby Pierrot!
Very Rare Hard To Find 80’s Ceramic Large Pierrot Clown Figurine Lamp / Signed on eBay: This one features more of a blue tone than black on the accents, but the ennui is practically oozing from it.
Vintage 80's Pierrette Clown with Rose Pottery Table Lamp Pierrot Late Century on eBay: Lady Pierrot, aka Pierrette is just darling. I love the blue eyeshadow on this.
VTG Art Deco Porcelain Pierrot & Pierrette Clown Night Light Table Lamp Rare on eBay: I don’t love the pose of this (Pierrot’s a little bit of a creep here to his wife, Columbina) but this is one of the only examples I saw where the entire figure lights up from the inside.
50s Pierrot table lamp. on Etsy: This was one of the more common lamp styles, and my favorite. I want to drape it on the edge of a shelf.
Honorable Mentions:
Crying Pierrot mug (with cats)
What terms were searched:
Pierrot table lamp
Pierrot clown lamp
Sad clown lamp
Harlequin lamp
Welcome to Finder’s Keepers
This is the newsletter dedicated to leaving no vintage stone unturned. Each edition will cater to a rabbit hole that I fell down one night and include an assortment of vintage finds that make you question “Why did anyone own this?” followed quickly by “Should I own this?”
My method is simple: I attach a keyword or phrase to the item and go digging, spending hours each week combing through hundreds of pages of Etsy and Ebay bric-a-brac. It’s chaotic but satisfactory, like looking through every rack and bin at a thrift store for those that partake in the more visceral act of going in person. I like to sit on my couch.