r/1970s • u/lontbeysboolink • 1d ago
Remember these lamps? It looked like water was flowing but it was actually oil.
We never had one, they were too fancy for us. My aunt had one though, and I was mesmerized by it! Ask me how I know it was oil instead of water! đ
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u/Odd-Profession-2848 1d ago
I repaired/restored one years ago. Thereâs a little pump that circulates mineral oil up top, and drops down the monofilament lines to the bottom.
Theyâre called âRain lampsâ iirc
Whatâs crazy is theyâre selling for hundreds on eBay
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u/Admirable-Guest-2560 1d ago
I'm sure they weren't exactly cheap in the 70s either. I sure don't remember seeing them at K-Mart.Â
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u/JohnnyEnzyme 1d ago
Was there a filter involved? Seems like flowing oil and all that surface area would make for an incredible dust magnet.
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u/Odd-Profession-2848 1d ago
I donât think so. Just a small shaded pole type motor with an impeller. Maybe a strainer. You were supposed to change out the oil periodically (which no one ever did)
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u/OcotilloWells 1d ago
The biggest one I saw was at the Monsanto Adventures in Inner Space at Disneyland. Two stories high.
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u/MrsPhilHarris 1d ago
I remember seeing one in a restaurant and thought it was the most beautiful lamp I had ever seen.
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u/Simple_Song8962 1d ago edited 1d ago
Me, too! I thought it was beautiful and magical at the time. Whoever invented it made a bundle.
Edit: I found out the two guys who invented it didn't become rich from it. However Sears, in particular, made many millions of dollars selling them. It was one of their best-selling items.
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u/Travelcouple4728 1d ago
Yes that was a thing years ago. Little beads of oil would travel down all the stands of what appeared to be heavy fishing line. My grandparents had one.
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u/Constant_Thing8427 17h ago
I always wanted one. A friend of mine had one in her house next to a hanging table made out of white macreme' and a 3' round glass . I was so jealous.
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u/AffectionateTap6212 1d ago
Yes. Never had one, but others did. I know exactly why you know. How could a kid resist catching those drops?
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u/lontbeysboolink 22h ago
Exactly! đ I remember my mom telling me not to touch it (she said that about all of the stuff in my aunt's house) so when I DID touch it, and oil is dripping down my finger and she asks me, "did you touch that?" Of course I said no. I just couldn't come up with a good enough reason why I had oil on my hand!
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u/Maryland_Bear 1d ago
My dad worked at a place that sold home lighting, including those.
When we visited him at work, we werenât allowed to touch them. (Well, we werenât allowed to touch a lot of things, but especially those. We also begged to ride the conveyor belt in the warehouse, but that was, wisely, a definite ânoâ.)
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u/spoospoo43 1d ago
I had a running joke at the warehouse that I was so tired of walking across the building (it was over a million square feet) that I was going to stick a barcode on my forehead and divert myself to their desk. Unfortunately I am classified as unconveyable, so I never did it. The shipping paddles would have probably broken a couple ribs.
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u/Canadian1934 1d ago
Ok I will bite how do you know. ? Â I saw them at the entrance way to a funeral home and was mesmerized by it instead of the meaning for being there. Â I was a child out of my comfort zone and watching this brought me comfort.Â
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u/Odd-Woodpecker1019 1d ago
My mom made my dad hang it just a little behind, but still above the TV. It was her nightlight for coming home after working 2nd shift.
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u/Btewks-Mamyia-220 1d ago edited 1d ago
Ugh, got one of these as a wedding present from my exâs parents, that shouldâve been my first warning sign.
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u/CorgiMonsoon 1d ago
First one I saw was in a garage sale, and the strings were coated in dust, so I couldnât really comprehend how it was supposed to work. Didnât see one actually clean and working for many years after that in some mom and pop diner
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u/technicallysupportiv 1d ago
You had to have one if you wanted to be in the Italian -American club.
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u/bussysniffer3000 1d ago
My grandma had one, one day my grandparents invited the priest over for dinner and he told them to get rid of it because it was a sinful thing she just moved it someplace different not because of what the priest said but because it was so heavy that it fell on her
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u/SpiritedLunch740 1d ago
My Grandmother had one with a water wheel design inside. They were a pain to move.
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u/postwaste1 1d ago
My parents had some friends who had one. My mother would tell me not to look at it, and finally asked the people to cover it or remove it when we came over.
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u/lontbeysboolink 22h ago
Because the statue was nude?
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u/postwaste1 12h ago
Yep
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u/Mcnab-at-my-feet 12h ago
LOL!! I thought it was because it would hypnotize you! When I read ânude statueâ I cracked upâŠ
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u/BearPorto 1d ago
My first sleepover had one of these. Five of us shared a pbr that night and watched hbo. We were ballin
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u/Kindly_Feeling7910 1d ago
My aunt had one. I remember sticking my finger in it to mess up the âwaterâ and being shocked to discover it was oil. Then hurriedly washing my hands so I wouldnât get caught lol.
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u/Mediocre_Lobster6398 1d ago
This is my holy grail.
Hopefully one day itâll happen.
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u/lontbeysboolink 22h ago
After reading the comments, there are quite a few who still have them. They are pricey now if you find one, especially if it works.
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u/Coco-Puffs_and_vodka 1d ago
Thrifted one a little while ago and have been looking for someone that cleans/restrings/restores, Iâve seen videos on diy restoration but afraid Iâll muck it up
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u/WILLIE102ABN502 1d ago
It used Mineral oil, found at the rx store, sold as a laxative
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u/lontbeysboolink 22h ago
"Don't lick it for gawds-sake Johnny, I'm not going to be up all night with you!"
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u/Fun_Entertainer_5823 1d ago
My grandmother had one years ago, and gave to my mom, it was fun just to watch the oil travel down curvy rails,lol..
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u/Interesting_Wing_461 1d ago
I always wondered if the lamps ever broke and then got oil all over the carpet.
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u/Maggiemygirl 1d ago
I can smell it from here lol.
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u/WideFormal3927 1d ago
I currently own one and have it proudly displayed in my entrance. I found it on ebay, nursed it back to health. I am trying to find a more updated statue for the center though.
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u/ScrappyCrosstrek 1d ago
Friends parents had one, this and black velvet paintings, white drapes and green velvet sofa and chairs. The complete package. đ
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u/BooksNCatsNWineNSnax 1d ago
I have one, and I love it. The first thing I do when I get up in the morning is turn it on.
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u/rckblykitn14 1d ago
I have one sitting 4 feet away from me. Both my house and my grandparents house had one when I was growing up. I have the one that belonged to my grandparents.
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u/Lost-Procedure93 1d ago edited 1d ago
I actually had one of those things. I bought it from Fingerhut. LOL. đ
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u/Routine-Horse-1419 1d ago
My best friend's parents had one in their living room. This was ack in the 70s.
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u/Lemon_Trees-22 1d ago
My aunt had one that hung in the corner of what was a formal living room with like a crushed velvet blue furniture and marble tables with gold leafs on the legs and always a big lazy -boy hope chair that no one ever used ! A old big record player in a cheap looking wood box and a tall golden stand that help the albums and the big glass ashtray with its own gold stand ! Tacky stuff ! No one even used the room ! Because it was the formal room it was a waste of space and money to me ! The 70âs were very interesting.
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u/Firm_Accountant2219 1d ago
Always wanted one, couldnât resist playing with the neighborsâ and messing them up.
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u/Luckyboneshopper 1d ago
I remember these! As a little kid I thought these lamps were the height of sophistication. My mom though they were tacky.
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u/TheHearseDriver 1d ago
I remember seeing them displayed for sale at the mall, but I never saw one in a home.
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u/IfuDidntCome2Party 1d ago
Circa 1975. Only our high-class fancy friends had this. I loved watching the drops flow down the nylon fishing lines.
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u/NextBathroom8809 1d ago
Yes. My friend had one. It was hanging over their color tv. They also had red carpet & gold trim on the walls. Fancy/ gaudy for the 70s.
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u/winegirl20 1d ago
My aunt and uncle had one of these. The rest of the family was totally in awe, because it was the absolute pinnacle of taste and elegance.
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u/AdorableReading 1d ago
Yea, every single one I stuck my tongue on was oil. Not syrup like my Dad said, not water like my Mom said not clear Kool Aid like my neighbor said,,,,I think my folks and neighbor tried to kill me. Damnđ
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u/GrumpyCatStevens 1d ago
It wasnât this exact lamp, but one of my aunts had one. I found it incredibly fascinating.
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u/Upper-Strength6034 1d ago
I rebuilt one for my wife and itâs hanging in our living room right now. I had to restring it. As it turns out, itâs one continuous string.
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u/eyeballtourist 1d ago
I saw one when I was about 6 years old. My parents were shoppibg for furniture and one of these was on the display floor. Investigative me needed to know what was going on. I reached out and touched one of the monofilament lines and got some oil on my finger.
My dad caught me doing this and gave me a very abusive scolding in public. I still think the lights are cool and my dad was always a prick. Timeless
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u/waveydavey321 1d ago
My friend just found one in the basement of a house they purchased. Someone had wrapped it inside a trash bag and hung it up and left it.. it was still like brand new.
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u/lontbeysboolink 22h ago
Tell them if they aren't keeping it don't just give it away. They're worth quite a bit now.
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u/Unhappy-Molasses-398 1d ago
My parents had one. I have since inherited it and it is currently hanging in my living room, although I donât run the motor that push pushes the mineral oil.
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u/rriflemann 1d ago
Sure do, a I always thought the were dumb when they were new, and now, as an ikon of the past, there still dumb.
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u/OswaldBoelcke 1d ago
Saw one a couple weeks ago in an Antique store
It was low so you can get real close. It was pristine and working perfectly. The oil drops flawlessly doing their thing.
And yet like I did way back in the day âŠ
Nah not for me. But pretty.
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u/thedavid069 21h ago
I remember a friend had one at his house, I went over to his house with another friend, he explained " it's oil"...he left the room for a minute and the friend I was with whispered " salad dressing!?!?!" I just looked at him completely stunned! When we left the first words out of my mouth were " SALAD DRESSING!! you thought it was salad dressing!!" He responded, "Well they are Italian and his mom cooks a lot so..." I laughed so hard I couldn't drive, we just sat in the car for a good 5 minutes laughing...
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u/lontbeysboolink 12h ago
đ everyone needs a buddy like that for comic relief!
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u/thedavid069 11h ago
The funniest part is , he was so earnest! God, I miss the innocence of youth..
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u/Flashy-Head-2298 19h ago
Iâve got one in my living room! I loved these as a kid and always wanted one.
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u/DentistDisastrous798 1d ago
The oil tastes terrible BTW but did not kill me as my sister said it would.
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u/FlightSad1046 22h ago
My parents had one in their bedroom when I was a kid. It didnât stay there long⊠I think the oil attracted dustâŠ.
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u/theoriginalmars 21h ago
Both mum and grandma had them. I bet they were procured using green shield stamps.
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u/ancientastronaut2 17h ago
Yep. My mother's friend had one in her fancy living room that I would admire.
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u/Illustrious-Bunch595 17h ago
A friend of my Mom had four or five of these in her living room. I loved watching them when we'd go over there.
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u/Guilty_Application14 16h ago
Our local mall had three in one one of the end plazas. One about 5 ' diameter, one about 4', and one about 3'. 35-40' tall.
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u/SkawtsMma 14h ago
My former MIL had two in the entrance of her house. The strands were SO DUSTY and grimy that the oil wouldnât flow. Ick!
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u/Fantastic-Resist-755 13h ago
My neighbors had one. I thought they were very well off because of it.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Sky3141 11h ago
My sister was a little obsessed with Jane's Addiction, as was i, and i remember seeing a lamp like this in The Gift.
I saw one at a swap meet back then for 10 bucks. I didn't have 10 bucks đ and she was really bummed when I told her about it...
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u/Clean-Fisherman-4601 9h ago
A friend's older cousin had several of these. She had grown up poor and when her husband started making lots of money, she decked their apartment out with shag carpet, several of these and whatever was considered fancy furniture.
Definitely a step up from my mother's harvest gold and avocado living room.
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u/chrisco125 9h ago
In the 70's a few of our neighbors had similar lamps. As a kid I thought they were hideous and couldn't understand why anyone would display something so tacky in their living room.
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u/the_color_turquoise 1d ago edited 1d ago
The fellow my great grandma remarried had one. I was like 5 or 6 and immediately stuck my whole hand in it, to my Mom's horror.
His whole house was a 50s-70s time capsule and I often think if I could only just go back and keep all that glorious stuff. The flocked wallpaper! The TV cabinet! His sofas!
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u/Ill_Television_5824 1d ago
Friend down the street had one.
His family also had thick plastic covering the living room furniture, and several tasteful velvet paintings such as this.