The Lampshade

[Ripley666]

Out of the wreckage of hurricane Katrina... Came a lampshade of human skin.

Found at a yardsale, it was purchased for $35 and now the topic of a new book, Lampshade.

NPR Coverage of the book

http://www.npr.org/2010/12/28/132416...-The-Lampshade

A new book tells the story of what may be one of the most gruesome artifacts of the Nazi persecution of Jews — a lampshade made from human skin... Genetic testing has determined that the lampshade is made of human skin. Jon Kalish reports.

JON KALISH: Six months after the hurricane, Raymond "Skip" Henderson came upon a rummage sale in his Bywater neighborhood. He was interested in a water-stained drum set, but the seller pointed him to a lamp and specifically its shade.

Mr. RAYMOND HENDERSON: He said: You know, this is skin of the Jews. He said: That's Jew flesh. Then I said, What? And he goes, It's a World War II souvenir.

You know, once you live in New Orleans, you just get prepared for anything.

KALISH: Henderson decided to buy it, paying $35. When he got home he started to examine it.

Mr. HENDERSON: Now you start looking, you're noticing wrinkles and pores. And it's very translucent. It looks dusty or greasy. It's like a silky feel to it. It'll clear a room out. I mean, you take it out of the box, man, people do not want to be in the same room as this thing.

An exceprt from the book:

http://nymag.com/news/features/67963/