The Trey Boye Lighter Lamp Un-Phone Clock!

Submitted by ksupley February 27th, 2013
Certifikitsch Winner

Hi Kitsch crew! For your viewing pleasure I present one of my favorite clocks (of the 400 or so… Eek!) Made by the Trey Boye company of Brooklyn NY. This amazing contraption is a clock, a lamp, and a cigarette lighter (concealed in the mouthpiece and operated by a push button switch on the end of the handset) Talk about a hot conversation.. zing! but NOT A PHONE!

This lamp goes right along with a number of other phone inspired pieces from this era in the late 50’s that I own that look like, but are never phones (a cigarette lighter phone radio that I will post later, as well as a ceramic molded phone also with a clock instead of a rotary dial…) This clock came in teal (shown), red, white, pink and I think possibly black all with flecked paint finish. They represent the heighth of 50’s technology combo-kitsch and ridiculousness and thus is one of my favorite pieces.

I also own this clock with the same design only with a downward facing conical shade with small perforations in sets of three around the opening of the cone which must have been the “executive” desk version whereas the venetian shade you see here was most likely the side-table version.  A final note on the venetian shade, these are the greatest as they give off a beautiful quality of light and give a great deco look to any room. Sadly many tv and film set decorators love to use these shades as they give the “funky” look but usually the shades are shown upside-down with the ball-chain that holds the shade together showing on the outside and dangling.. tisk tisk!    -KitschKyle

For thousand more images, visit my virtual mid-century and kitsch design museum on flickr ——->  here <———***

4 Responses to “The Trey Boye Lighter Lamp Un-Phone Clock!”

  1. Allee Willis

    Yes, this is one of the clock hallmarks of the Atomic Age!

    I have two of them, the same mint green you have as well as a white one with black flecks. The phone handle lighters still work and the Venitian shades are perfect. These are heavy contraption though. Just ask my big toe that remained infected for a month after a run-in with one of them.

    I don’t know that I’ve ever seen the “executive” model you describe here. Would love to see that close-up. Also wouldn’t mind a more detailed shot of the celluloid candle lamp next to the clock/lighter/lamp/not-really-phone.

    • ksupley

      The “Executive” model is upstate at my parents house in storage (bless them) but next time I am up in Schenectady I will take a photo! I will also post the Aerolux flame lamp with bulb! (Sorry about your toe!)