LAMP, ELECTRIC

Description: ORNATELY CARVED WOOD LAMP. ROUND BASE, HAS TWO LAYERS, THAT STAND ON THREE CARVED FEET. VERTICAL SHAFT THAT EXTENDS FROM CENTER OF BASE HAS THREE DECORATIVE BRACKETS AT THE BASE. SHAFT HAS FLORAL RELIEF CARVINGS ABOVE BRACKETS. TOP OF LAMP DISCONNECTS FROM SHAFT. TOP OF LAMP FEATURES AN ORNATELY CARVED DRAGON'S HEAD. THERE IS A BROWN ELECTRICAL WIRE THROUGH SHAFT OF LAMP. ELEMENT PART OF LAMP IS MISSING. ENTIRE LAMP IS PAINTED WITH BROWN VARNISH. SHAFT SECTION OF TOP OF LAMP HAS TWO CRACKS IN IT.

History: LAMP WAS ORDERED BY DONOR'S FATHER-IN-LAW FROM HONGKONG AROUND 1970. DONOR'S FORMER HUSBAND, DR. CHI CHE ONG AU, WAS BORN IN CHINA AND MOVED FROM TAIWAN TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1964 TO TRAIN IN MEDICINE. DR. AU AND HIS WIFE JENNY MOVED TO LETHBRIDGE FROM DETROIT, MICHIGAN IN 1968. DR. AU BEGAN WORKING AS A PHYSICIAN AT THE HAIG CLINIC IN 1968. JENNY WORKED AS A NURSE. THEY HAD 3 CHILDREN, SAM AU (PH.D MICRO BIOLOGY), DICK AU (DOCTOR IN EDMONTON AT THE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL), AND PEGGY AU (TEACHER AT WINSTON). PIECE DONATED TO MUSEUM AS SHE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THE CHINESE ART WORK WITH THE PEOPLE OF LETHBRIDGE (AS WAS DR. AU'S DREAM). DONOR'S BROTHER CHIECH YING CHEN WORKED AS A MANAGER FOR COCA-COLA IN LETHBRIDGE (NOW LIVING IN CALGARY). DONOR'S PARENTS, H.C. CHEN AND YUEH YING, ALSO WORKED IN LETHBRIDGE AND ARE NOW RETIRED IN VANCOUVER, B.C.. *UPDATE* IN 2018, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT ELISE PUNDYK CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF BOXED TEXTILE ARTIFACTS INCLUDING CUSHIONS THAT WERE PART OF THE FURNITURE SET DONATED BY CHEICH MIN (JENNY) AU. AS OF DATE OF UPDATE, ATTEMPTS MADE TO CONTACT THE DONOR'S NEXT-OF-KIN WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.