I took this shot lead down looking up at a lampshade. I dunno, I just liked it!
My favourite lampshade picture - at least i think its a kind of lampshade-type prop - is Mel Birnkrant's card art for the Colourforms Outerspacemen.
I love Alpha 7's illuminated disc as he heads for Mars. Looking underneath it the disc really does hint at lampshadeness.
and my personal fave, the large lampshade-like personal airship of Xodiac, the Man from Saturn.
You can read more about these on Mel's own amazing website and drool over the original backing card photographs like this one of Xodiac.
I think its one of the most beautiful toy photographs ever. What do you think readers?
Never knew Colorforms had this line of Outer Space Men - how weird and cool they are!
ReplyDeletePerhaps the greatest space toys ever Zigg. I had a few in the 60's. Wish I still had them!
DeleteAt first glance, the UFO made m think turbine roof ventilator https://static.grainger.com/rp/s/is/image/Grainger/33W299_AS01 for inspiration.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the pic at the link, I'm more inclined to think it is part of a fan mount with a bit of dryer vent hose around the top. Still a simple design but looks so wonderful with that internal light source.
You could be onto something there Lance. I wrote to Mel a few years back and he pointed out a photo and paragraph in his online auto biography that sheds a little light on what these props may have been but no great detail alas. Still its a fascinating read - between the Alpha 7 diorama picture [look at the 'frisbee' propped up] and the picture of the 7 epoxy figures - in Mel's amazingly personal account of his family and working life back in the Sixties. http://melbirnkrant.com/recotwo/page25.html
Delete