In the early days of television, people attempted to protect themselves from the new machines with bright talismans--creative lamps that provided back light that was believed to protect the eyes. These lamps took on fantastic forms, the most popular among them being panthers and other animals like Siamese cats. They came in any number of forms, though, and sometimes doubled as vases or planters. Herein nearly 400 photos explore the many forms of TV lamps, from a barnyard full of horses, roosters, ducks, and swans, to all manner of conveyances like boats, wagons, and cars, and an international collection of people and faces. Current market values are provided for the collector and antiques dealer._x000D_ AUTHOR: Calvin Shepherd is a longtime resident of Selma, California, the Raisin Capital of the World. He has been married to Joyce Self Shepherd for forty-four years and is the father of three grown children. He and his wife have been collecting antiques and collectibles for about thirty years. Although they collect several different antiques and collectibles, TV lamps are the most enjoyable. Calvin has more than 300 lamps in his collection, which is still growing._x000D_
