We came across some vintage Irmi lamps on Etsy recently and couldn't decide if it was pure nostalgia or aesthetic value that made us take a closer look. We usually steer away from anything too saccharine, but there's something about their folksy innocence that we find charming. What do you think - best left at the thrift shop or worthy of a renaissance?
We recall seeing Irmi lamps and switch plates in rooms of children we babysat in the '80s though the company (sometimes sold under the name Nursery Plastics) was perhaps most popular in the 60's and 70's. The best information we could find about Irmi's (interesting) history is here in a post by the Baby Gardner.
Interested in buying some vintage Irmi? Ebay and Etsy are two good sources (the lamps we saw were in Sweet Lilly Studio) as is an online shop called Turtle Creek Interiors. On Etsy and Ebay try seaches for "Irmi" or "child lamp" or "vintage wood lamp" as not all sellers recognize them as Irmi's.
If you'd just like to reminisce a bit, take a look at the In Love with Irmi Flickr group which has some really cool ones.
(images 1: JHerrmann, 2 & 5: Sweet Lilly Studio, 3: Zelles Attic, 4: Kimaroo.)
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I got an Irmi (or decent knock-off thereof) bunny lamp at the goodwill auction site last fall; I was super excited, until I got it, then I was a little freaked out by it somehow - it's still sitting on my desk at work (where it was shipped), and shows no signs of making it home anytime soon...
I love their wooden mobiles.
I have found vintage Irmi at thrift stores often and it's all over my dughter's room. My favorite is the zoo mobile and the bridhouse light switch because they were mine as a baby...so fun to have "heirloom" decor.
I collect Nursery Plastics lamps and switchplates. I still have the one from my own room in the 50's. If anyone wants to sell/give, I want to talk to you.
Love 'em. Totally cool.
I came across a stash of un used ,boxed,Irmi mobiles a few years back- sold them all via ebay- they FLEW off my shelves- I didn't like them much- but a whole lot of other people did...
I have my childhood lamp in my son's room. It has a music box, and he loves it.
Never seen them before, but I love them.
I have a vintage Irmi mobile (Circus) in great condition (music box still works) if anyone is interested. Post here and I'll reply to you offline. I don't feel like dealing with Ebay quite yet.
I love them, the mirror most of all.
We just got an irmi lamp, and mobile for our nursery. I will take photos as soon as we are done putting it all together. Our "theme" for the nursery is vintage 1940s-early 1960s baby goodness, and Irmi merch is going to look so perfect in it!
The Irmi "Hey Diddle Diddle" mobile and the choo-choo train lamp we got were both purchased off of Etsy.com.
We have 3 Irmi lamps and I need to find new lampshades for each of them. Love them!