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THE RUMPH Home » Browse The Rumph Pieces » Other Stuff » Rumph Haunted Mirror


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Rumph Haunted Mirror
Rumph Haunted Mirror #1
Added by:
Neal Warner
from Santa Clarita, CA on 02/04/2004

Rumph Haunted Mirror #2
Added by:
Rumphnut
from Kansas City on 04/03/2004

Rumph Haunted Mirror #3
Added by:
Rumphnut
from Kansas City on 04/03/2004

Rumph Haunted Mirror #4
Added by:
Norman Corison
from Sacramento on 09/16/2009

Rumph Haunted Mirror #5
Added by:
Norman Corison
from Sacramento on 09/16/2009

Rumph Haunted Mirror #6
Added by:
Norman Corison
from Sacramento on 09/16/2009

Rumph Haunted Mirror


A frame originally designed to hold a hologram within the center of a mirror.

Produced: 1978
Rarity Ranking :
Added on: 02/04/2004
Added by: Neal Warner (email me!) from Santa Clarita, CA


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Commissioned by Brainstorm Studios in 1978 and reissued in 2003, The Rumph Haunted Mirror is one of the few Rumph pieces still in production (on a limited basis).
Added by Neal Warner from Santa Clarita, CA on 02/04/2004


I first met Jim at the Renaissance Faire in Agoura back in 1976. Being a cartoonist and animator I naturally loved his cartoonish monsters. His dragon ashtray was the piece I remember most from that first meeting. I had studied holography in college and wanted to make a hologram. Back then you had to shine a light through them to see them but shining a light onto a mirror and have it reflected back through the hologram worked as well. I called Jim up one day, for the life of me I don�t know how I could have gotten his number, but I did, and suggested he make a hologram out of one of his sculptures and a frame to hold it. I suggested this to him only because I wanted one. He liked the idea but suggested since I was the one who wanted one, why don�t I pay him to do it. I figured I couldn�t afford him but he loved the idea and wanted to do it as long as he could work on it in his spare time so he cut me a deal. I agreed and it was many months before the frame was finished. This gave me plenty of time and excuse to visit him at the Slyme Factory in Santa Monica. This was 1977/78 and was not a happy time. Annie Hall was the movie of the year and it seemed long term relationships breaking up was epidemic. He was going through a real rough spell with his wife as was I with my girlfriend, but I remember seeing her A LOT so they must have still been together somewhat at that time. But Jim was definitely in a party mood, as was I, and we were both into a new movie called Star Wars. He gave me permission (and a signed contract) to use the woman�s face on one of his planters as the hologram and the frame turned out great. At the time he said it was his favorite piece, however I really liked the framed chastity belt that hung on his studio wall. The original frame was sculpted from Plasticine which remains soft and gets destroyed when the mold is made. I made about two dozen frames from the original mold before it rotted and recently I�ve made another mold from a first generation copy and am producing a limited number of frames made of resin fiber. The original frames where made from the same material as his mugs and planters and break. In fact, Jim�s personal frame fell off the studio wall when workmen were pounding on the outside and shattered. He never got another and soon after moving his studio onto Sepulveda Blvd., we lost touch forever. He was a free spirit but most of the people I knew back then were artists or musicians and we were all free spirits. I must say that Jim did cure me of my dread of phone calls at 3:00AM since after receiving a couple from him and some lady friends who were trying to get a party together, I no longer worried that late night phone calls all had to be bad news. We miss you Jim.
Added by Neal Warner from Santa Clarita, CA on 02/04/2004


I own what I believe is an original of the '78, titled. You can see the fingerprints in the material and the mirror is a gold-veined mirror - no hologram. I will provide pictures soon. In addition, I know of an avid collector with a number of pieces not shown, including Rumph's original faire shop sign, which was purchased from Rumph while he was "in his cups". I've passed the site info on to him.
Added by Norman Corison from Sacramento, CA on 09/15/2009