Vintage Hollywood Regency James Mont Hand-Carved Buddha Lamp (MR12891)

Vintage Hollywood Regency James Mont Hand-Carved Buddha Lamp

Circa 1950s

Hand carved Buddha with plaster details.

Lovely Details in Gold Patina

Not Original Lampshade

Very nice, uncommon example of a seated Buddha figure lamp by Mont.

Dimensions
17″ Diameter x 47″ Height

Condition

Very Good Vintage
Age Appropriate Wear

Preparation, Timing and Shipment

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James Mont

James Mont was born in Istanbul in 1904, originally named Demetrios Pecintoglu. Details of his early life aren`t very clear, but we know his father was a famous artist from Turkey, and it is thought that Mont studied both art and architecture in France and Spain. Mont eventually came to the U.S. with his family in the 1920s.

His start in the interior design profession is interesting. In the mid 1920s Brooklyn, Mont was running an electrical supply store where he also showcased his own lamp designs. It`s thought that Frankie Yale, a local mafia leader, was so impressed by Mont`s talent while in the shop one day, he hired him to decorate his home. Word spread of the great job Mont did on Yale`s home, and soon Mont was decorating all the homes of the Mafia. And if that isn`t juicy enough, Mont specialized in building furniture to conceal illegal activities, like collapsible bars (this was during prohibition) and desks with secret compartments. Once he realized interior design was the field for him, it didn`t take him long to rack up a long list of famous and infamous clients, including celebrities like Irving Berlin, Lana Turner and Bob Hope (who was the best man at his wedding) and famous mobsters of the time, like Lucky Luciano and Frank Costello.

Perhaps it was his nature, or maybe it was just the company he kept, but James Mont was known to have a mean streak, which even landed him in prison in 1940 when he viciously beat a lampshade designer who had declined his sexual advances. If you thought prison was the end of his design career, you thought wrong, for in 1945 he emerged from jail having spent his time perfecting his craft and coming up with new designs.

Homeowners looking to add both glamour and a storied past to their own home designs will find plenty of gorgeous inspiration in Mont`s work. He was known for many details in his interiors, most notably heavy use of Oriental themes and Chinoiserie. He also excelled in a variety of unique furniture finishes. He loved using tons of mirrors, as well as silver and gold leafing in his interiors, often mixing the two for dynamic effects.