Exploring the QT Lamp of Chaos II Curiosities

Prized possessions with quizzical backstories, serious sentimentality or surprising tales. QT Hotels & Resorts gave away a year’s worth of QT nights in exchange for your weird and wonderful items towards the end of 2022. A stranger way to pay you might say. 

The outlandish and most wonderful of collected curiosities we’re crafted into a lavishly unique lamp, by Melbourne artist, Destroy All Monsters. Aptly named ‘The Lamp of Chaos II’, truly one of a kind artwork will be auctioned off the week, with all proceeds going to the New Zealand Arts Foundation to further support curiosity within the arts.  

What curiosities are featured on this lamp you might ask? Well, we’ve taken the liberty of pulling together a list of the treasures that bejewel this mighty beacon of light. 

THE SKATEST OF ALL TIME
Once belonging to the fastest feet of the 1980’s, these skates clocked miles around the rink, slipping under the limbo bar with ease and gliding through the greatest Hokey Pokey the world had ever seen. 

HAIRY MARY
If you’re in need of the finest quality human hair for an upcoming art project, look no further than these luxurious tresses.  

ODYSSEYS HEAD
For many a year, noble Odysseus has manned his watch atop the encyclopaedias of a beloved family library, valiantly protecting tall tales and those who seek to borrow them.  

MISS PAPRIKA
This fiery red head is well known across the globe for adding spice to every occasion. Let her go wild, but be warned, she could be too hot to handle.  

PEACE OUT
A subtle reminder from co-workers that peace and quiet is appreciated in the office.

DON’T RUN, WALKMAN
They say you haven’t lived until you’ve enjoyed the musical stylings of Milli Vanilli through wired headphones, while walking home in neon pink MC Hammer pants.

LUXE LISTINGS
Working in a supermarket can fall short in the entertainment department, so one has to be creative to help pass the time. One curious checkout operator made a habit of collecting discarded shopping lists, artfully arranging them in a photo album of their own. 

JAW DROPPING
Half face Harry the horse was picked up by a weary traveller along a suburban street. Where the rest of him ended up, nobody knows. But we hope for Harry’s sake it’s somewhere with soft foods.  

MYSTERY ROLL
The mind boggles at what wonders this undeveloped time capsule from the late 1990s could hold. 

PLAYING FOR REVENGE

Jited by her misbehaving lover, one clever QTie thought the best way to get out her frustrations would be to put pen to paper. Or rather, put pen to the bottom of the pieces from his favourite game. The relationship was doomed, but the secret revenge was oh so sweet.

THE KING AND I
Given as a wedding gift more than 60 years ago, this exotic golden cutlery set hails from Siam, now known as modern day Thailand. 

GRANDMA’S TRUNK
The personalised trunk of one Margaret Sporrer. Used in 1948 to transport everything she owned from Switzerland to Australia.

1998 WORLD CUP ZIPPO
While attending the 1998 Football World Cup in France, one Dutch fan purchased this lighter as a premature memento of his team’s historic grand final win against Brazil. Denmark unfortunately lost the game, turning a souvenir of victory into a disappointing reminder.  

GRANDMA’S FINEST
An entirely inedible bottle of olive oil hoarded in the depths of the pantry since 1933. 

SAFETY FIRST
Purchased in an Amsterdam shop opposite to the apartment where Quentin Tarantino wrote the screenplay for ‘Pulp Fiction’. This relic from the nuclear disaster site of Chernobyl, features a condom demonstrating how to wear a gas mask.

MRS NEWTON’S KNOCKING KNOCKERS
Gifted to one budding scientist for his 16th birthday, these knocking knockers celebrated their very own 16th birthday earlier this year.  

MARIACHI MADNESS
This hat crossed the seven seas with its owner after a long and arduous stint on the kind of mega vessel some would call a ‘commercial cruise ship’. Once worn by the world’s finest Mariachi performers the waters had ever seen, this hat is infused with the memory of tequila hangovers (and some of the tequila itself). 

GODDESS OF FERTILITY
Beware! This Akuaba fertility goddess token from the Ashanti tribe of Ghana is so potent that just one touch before entering the bedroom will result in pregnancy. Gloves recommended, handle at own risk. 

AHIKAROA CAMERA SLATE
The finale slate from the fifth season of ‘Ahikāroa’, Maori Television’s award-winning bilingual drama series. 

A HEARTY HAUL
480 love hearts on removable sticks. 0 purpose. Infinite possibilities.   

HORNY BAROMETER
Left behind in a since-abandoned holiday home, this barometer is wonderful for providing accurate atmospheric pressure readings and freaking out neighbourhood children who come to visit.  

BROKEN-HEARTED BABY
After a failed experiment to create the perfect playmate, this babydoll was left with only head and hands. A talent for juggling was since discovered and bubs went on to become the star of the finest travelling circus the world had ever seen.  

CLARA & CELESTE
These sneaky sisters have a reputation for disturbing the sleep of guests in their owner’s home. Stood at the foot of the guest bed for decades, many have claimed to see them moving in the darkness.  

A LIFETIME OF CRYSTALS
Collected lovingly over three decades, these crystals have been bathed in the purest spring waters and energised by a blood moon. Beautiful, powerful and surprisingly heavy.  

THE TIMOROUUS BEASTIE
Timorous: a timid or fearful disposition. The Timorous Beastie: a small felt dog. Commissioned by the mother of an ex-boyfriend with a timid or fearful disposition. 

Should you wish for “The Lamp of Chaos II” to grace your own abode, keep an eye out on @QT_Hotels to place your silent bid from the 4th of March (must be Auckland based as the lamp does not enjoy long journeys). 

Curious to find out more about the winning items from QT’s Curious Currencies campaign? You will soon be able to purchase a coffee table book from your nearest QT with all of our trophy items, each with an intriguing tale to be told.