In the 1950s, the first decade of mass television adoption, there was a common belief that watching TV in low light could damage one's eyesight. But early televisions, with their dull luminescence, were best viewed in the dark. So the TV lamp was invented to add a little light to the room and dispel people’s fears. Originally a dime-store item which sold for as little as a $1.50, TV lamps were small figurine lamps styled to look like...