Old Chandeliers
Early 20th Century French Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Wire, Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Chandeliers and Pendants
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary American Chandeliers and Pendants
Wood
Vintage 1940s Italian Chandeliers and Pendants
Iron
20th Century Italian Chandeliers and Pendants
Iron
Early 20th Century Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
Vintage 1940s French Chandeliers and Pendants
Antique 19th Century French Chandeliers and Pendants
Wood
21st Century and Contemporary French Chandeliers and Pendants
20th Century French Chandeliers and Pendants
Wood
Vintage 1930s French Chandeliers and Pendants
Wrought Iron
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
Vintage 1950s Italian Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
Vintage 1930s Italian Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome
Early 20th Century French Chandeliers and Pendants
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Enamel
Early 20th Century German Bauhaus Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
Early 20th Century French Gothic Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
Early 20th Century French Chandeliers and Pendants
Iron
20th Century Italian Chandeliers and Pendants
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Steel
20th Century Chandeliers and Pendants
Vintage 1940s Chandeliers and Pendants
20th Century American Chandeliers and Pendants
Copper
Vintage 1970s Italian Chandeliers and Pendants
Glass
Antique 19th Century Spanish Gothic Revival Chandeliers and Pendants
Wrought Iron
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Copper
20th Century Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
20th Century Italian Chandeliers and Pendants
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary French Chandeliers and Pendants
Early 20th Century French Chandeliers and Pendants
Iron
Antique 19th Century French Chandeliers and Pendants
Gold
Early 20th Century French Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal
Vintage 1940s Italian Chandeliers and Pendants
Tôle
Vintage 1940s Italian Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
Vintage 1960s European Industrial Chandeliers and Pendants
Aluminum, Steel
Vintage 1960s Finnish Chandeliers and Pendants
Copper
Vintage 1950s French Industrial Chandeliers and Pendants
Aluminum
20th Century Unknown Chandeliers and Pendants
Early 20th Century French Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Bronze
20th Century Chandeliers and Pendants
Iron
Vintage 1960s Chandeliers and Pendants
Vintage 1940s French Chandeliers and Pendants
20th Century American Chandeliers and Pendants
Vintage 1930s Unknown Chandeliers and Pendants
Tôle
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal, Brass
Mid-20th Century French Chandeliers and Pendants
Glass
Early 20th Century German Industrial Chandeliers and Pendants
Enamel
Early 20th Century German Chandeliers and Pendants
Enamel
Early 20th Century French Industrial Chandeliers and Pendants
Enamel, Steel
Mid-20th Century French Chandeliers and Pendants
Aluminum, Enamel
Brass
Vintage 1930s American Flush Mount
Brass
Vintage 1950s Italian Hollywood Regency Wall Lights and Sconces
Early 20th Century French Flush Mount
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal, Brass
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Old Chandeliers For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Old Chandeliers?
Finding the Right Chandeliers And Pendants for You
Chandeliers — simple in form, inspired by candelabras and originally made of wood or iron — first made an appearance in early churches. For those wealthy enough to afford them for their homes in the medieval period, a chandelier's suspended lights likely exuded imminent danger, as lit candles served as the light source for fixtures of the era. Things have thankfully changed since then, and antique chandeliers and pendant lights are popular in many interiors today.
While gas lighting during the late 18th century represented an upgrade for chandeliers — and gas lamps would long inspire Danish architect and pioneering modernist lighting designer Poul Henningsen — it would eventually be replaced with the familiar electric lighting of today.
The key difference between a pendant light and a chandelier is that a pendant incorporates only a single bulb into its design. Don’t mistake this for simplicity, however. An Art Deco–styled homage to Sputnik from Murano glass artisans Giovanni Dalla Fina, with handcrafted decorative elements supported by a chrome frame, is just one stunning example of the elaborate engineering that can be incorporated into every component of a chandelier. (Note: there is more than one lighting fixture that shares its name with the iconic mid-century-era satellite — see Gino Sarfatti’s design too.)
Chandeliers have evolved over time, but their classic elegance has remained unchanged.
Not only will the right chandelier prove impressive in a given room, but it can also offer a certain sense of practicality. These fixtures can easily illuminate an entire space, while their elevated position prevents them from creating glare or straining one’s eyes.
Certain materials, like glass, can complement naturally lit settings without stealing the show. Brass, on the other hand, can introduce an alluring, warm glow. While LEDs have earned a bad reputation for their perceived harsh bluish lights and a loss of brightness over their life span, the right design choices can help harness their lighting potential and create the perfect mood. A careful approach to lighting can transform your room into a peaceful and cozy nook, ideal for napping, reading or working.
For midsize spaces, a wall light or sconce can pull the room together and get the lighting job done. Perforated steel rings underneath five bands of handspun aluminum support a rich diffusion of light within Alvar Aalto's Beehive pendant light, but if you’re looking to brighten a more modest room, perhaps a minimalist solution is what you’re after. The mid-century modern furniture designer Charlotte Perriand devised her CP-1 wall lamps in the 1960s, in which a repositioning of sheet-metal plates can redirect light as needed.
The versatility and variability of these lighting staples mean that, when it comes to finding something like the perfect chandelier, you’ll never be left hanging. From the natural world-inspired designs of the Art Nouveau era to the classic beauty of Paul Ferrante's fixtures, there is a style for every room.
With designs for pendant lights and chandeliers across eras, colors and materials, you’ll never run out of options to explore on 1stDibs — shop a collection today that includes antique Art Deco chandeliers, Stilnovo chandeliers, Baccarat chandeliers and more.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022To tell how old your chandelier is, look for a maker’s mark often included somewhere on the chandelier. From there, you can research the specific company that manufactured it. Also consider the power source — candle- and gas-lit chandeliers were common until the early 1900s when electric chandeliers became popular. Even if your chandelier was upgraded to be fully electric, check for signs of the previous system. Shop a collection of vintage and contemporary chandeliers from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- How did old chandeliers work?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Old chandeliers first worked because of taper candles inserted into their frames and lit nightly to provide illumination for a room. In the 18th century, chandeliers produced flickering flames fueled by natural gas, butane, propane or a similar substance. On 1stDibs, find a variety of antique and vintage chandeliers.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022You can update an old brass chandelier in many ways. Refinish it with spray paint to give it a more modern hue or slip new sleeves over the candles. You can also add embellishments like crystals to the frame. On 1stDibs, find a variety of antique and vintage chandeliers.
Read More
This 1950s Paavo Tynell Chandelier Got a Glow-Up
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Warm chalet style meets cool Bauhaus functionality in Pietro Cascella’s cleverly carved creation.
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