Vintage Bakelite Lamp
1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass, Metal
1940s Danish Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass, Steel
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass
Mid-20th Century Czech Industrial Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Iron
20th Century American Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Copper, Brass
1940s French Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Copper, Chrome
20th Century Danish Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Bronze
20th Century Italian Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass
Mid-20th Century Czech Industrial Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass
Mid-20th Century Czech Industrial Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Aluminum, Chrome
1960s Czech Industrial Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Metal
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Aluminum
20th Century English Art Deco Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Chrome
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Metal, Brass
Mid-20th Century European Industrial Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Iron
Mid-20th Century French Industrial Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Iron
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass
1960s Italian Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass
20th Century French Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass, Iron
1970s Czech Industrial Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Metal, Chrome
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass, Metal
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Metal, Aluminum
1970s French Industrial Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Iron
1940s German Bauhaus Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Aluminum
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Metal
Mid-20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass
1960s European Industrial Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Iron
20th Century Czech Industrial Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Aluminum, Metal
1940s Italian Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass
1950s Italian Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Iron
20th Century Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Aluminum
1950s German Industrial Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Iron
1960s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Bakelite
20th Century American Industrial Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Metal
1950s American Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass
1970s French Hollywood Regency Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass
20th Century English Art Deco Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Chrome
Mid-20th Century English Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Chrome
1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Bakelite, Teak
Mid-20th Century German Industrial Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Chrome, Iron
20th Century French Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Metal
1960s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Metal, Brass
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Steel, Chrome
1940s French Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Bakelite
1970s French Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass, Bronze
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass
1970s French Post-Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Austrian Industrial Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Metal, Aluminum
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass
1950s Italian Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass
Mid-20th Century French Industrial Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Iron
1950s Italian International Style Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Brass, Copper
1960s Italian Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Aluminum, Chrome
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Bakelite Lamp
Chrome
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Vintage Bakelite Lamp For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Vintage Bakelite Lamp?
Materials: Plastic Furniture
Arguably the world’s most ubiquitous man-made material, plastic has impacted nearly every industry. In contemporary spaces, new and vintage plastic furniture is quite popular and its use pairs well with a range of design styles.
From the Italian lighting artisans at Fontana Arte to venturesome Scandinavian modernists such as Verner Panton, who created groundbreaking interiors as much as he did seating — see his revolutionary Panton chair — to contemporary multidisciplinary artists like Faye Toogood, furniture designers have been pushing the boundaries of plastic forever.
When The Graduate's Mr. McGuire proclaimed, “There’s a great future in plastics,” it was more than a laugh line. The iconic quote is an allusion both to society’s reliance on and its love affair with plastic. Before the material became an integral part of our lives — used in everything from clothing to storage to beauty and beyond — people relied on earthly elements for manufacturing, a process as time-consuming as it was costly.
Soon after American inventor John Wesley Hyatt created celluloid, which could mimic luxury products like tortoiseshell and ivory, production hit fever pitch, and the floodgates opened for others to explore plastic’s full potential. The material altered the history of design — mid-century modern legends Charles and Ray Eames, Joe Colombo and Eero Saarinen regularly experimented with plastics in the development of tables and chairs, and today plastic furnishings and decorative objects are seen as often indoors as they are outside.
Find vintage plastic lounge chairs, outdoor furniture, lighting and more on 1stDibs.
Finding the Right Lighting for You
The right table lamp, outwardly sculptural chandelier or understated wall pendant can work wonders for your home. While we’re indebted to thinkers like Thomas Edison for critically important advancements in lighting and electricity, we’re still finding new ways to customize illumination to fit our personal spaces all these years later. A wide range of antique and vintage lighting can be found on 1stDibs.
Today, lighting designers like the self-taught Bec Brittain have used the flexible structure of LEDs to craft glamorous solutions by working with what is typically considered a harsh lighting source. By integrating glass and mirrors, reflection can be used to soften the glow from LEDs and warmly welcome light into any space.
Although contemporary innovators continue to impress, some of the classics can’t be beat.
Just as gazing at the stars allows you to glimpse the universe’s past, vintage chandeliers like those designed by Gino Sarfatti and J. L. Lobmeyr, for example, put on a similarly stunning show, each with a rich story to tell.
As dazzling as it is, the Arco lamp, on the other hand, prioritizes functionality — it’s wholly mobile, no drilling required. Designed in 1962 by architect-product designers Achille Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, the piece takes the traditional form of a streetlamp and creates an elegant, arching floor fixture for at-home use.
There is no shortage of modernist lighting similarly prized by collectors and casual enthusiasts alike — there are Art Deco table lamps created in a universally appreciated style, the Tripod floor lamp by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, Greta Magnusson Grossman's sleek and minimalist Grasshopper lamps and, of course, the wealth of mid-century experimental lighting that emerged from Italian artisans at Arredoluce, FLOS and many more are hallmarks in illumination innovation.
With decades of design evolution behind it, home lighting is no longer just practical. Crystalline shaping by designers like Gabriel Scott turns every lighting apparatus into a luxury accessory. A new installation doesn’t merely showcase a space; carefully chosen ceiling lights, table lamps and floor lamps can create a mood, spotlight a favorite piece or highlight your unique personality.
The sparkle that your space has been missing is waiting for you amid the growing collection of antique, vintage and contemporary lighting for sale on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 20, 2024To tell if a brass lamp is vintage, you'll need to determine if it is 20 to 99 years old by conducting online research or having an expert, such as a certified appraiser or experienced antique dealer, evaluate it. If you prefer to do the research yourself, first look for the maker's markings. Then, consult trusted online resources to identify the maker and read further to find out when the company was active and manufacturing similar lamps. Checking the plug can also be helpful. If it has two prongs of the same size, you can conclude that your lamp was made in 1962 or before, as U.S. standards set that year required all lamps to feature polarized plugs with one large and one small prong. Keep in mind that it is possible to rewire a lamp, and some makers switched to polarized plugs before the standard was established, so the lack of a non-polarized plug doesn't necessarily mean a lamp isn't pre-1962. Find a large selection of vintage brass table lamps on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2023To identify a vintage porcelain lamp, check the base for markings. You may find a date stamp or the manufacturer's name. Check the porcelain for signs of wear like minor scratches and blemishes. If a lamp is in flawless condition, it's possible that it was simply stored well, but it's more likely that the piece is a newer reproduction. A certified appraiser can be of assistance if online research isn't enough to make an identification. Shop a selection of vintage porcelain lamps on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022There are many different ways to tell if a table lamp is vintage. Your best option is to look for a manufacturer label that will give you information on the designer, the date, serial number and other information that you can then Google. It’s also a good idea to look at the condition of the lamp to see what shape it’s in and if it has all of its original pieces. Shop a large collection of vintage table lamps from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022There are a few ways to identify if your table lamp is vintage, but it does vary from brand to brand. If you can spot a maker’s mark or manufacturer’s label on your piece, it could tell you where and when it was crafted. On 1stDibs, find vintage and contemporary table lamps from top sellers around the world.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 4, 2024To identify vintage Stiffel lamps, first check a piece for any markings. Nearly all Stiffel lamps have a marking at least on the switch, but some also feature large foil stamps on their bases or bulb sockets. By comparing the marks on your lamp to images and descriptions published on trusted online resources, you can often determine approximately when Stiffel produced your lamp. If your lamp is 20 to 99 years old, it is vintage. Older Stiffel lamps are antiques, and newer ones are contemporary. When in doubt, consult a certified appraiser or knowledgeable antique dealer. Find an assortment of Stiffel lamps on 1stDibs.
Read More
This 1950s Paavo Tynell Chandelier Got a Glow-Up
Commissioned for the lakeside villa of a Finnish industrialist, it illuminated visits with dignitaries.
These Designer Light Fixtures Are Total Scene Stealers
Across New York, there’s no shortage of statement lighting on view.
My Father Was Obsessed with This French Art Deco Tiger Lamp
The 1920s design is a thrilling combination of saturated colors, ancient motifs and modern aesthetics.
Hans Bergström’s Monumental Chandeliers Are Made for Grand Spaces
Designed by a giant of Swedish lighting, the large-scale fixtures bring major drama.
This Paavo Tynell Chandelier Is a Radiant Bouquet
The alluring pendant light exemplifies the designer’s winsome mid-career work.
Ettore Sottsass Captures a Shooting Star in This Rare 1970s Floor Lamp
Before founding the Memphis Group, Sottsass bent the rules of lighting design with the wonderfully wavy Cometa.
You Don’t Need a Fictional Fairy to Get This Real Pinocchio Lamp
Warm chalet style meets cool Bauhaus functionality in Pietro Cascella’s cleverly carved creation.
Why Is Italy Such a Hotbed of Cool Design?
Patrizio Chiarparini of Brooklyn’s Duplex gallery sheds light on the lasting legacy of Italy’s postwar furniture boom.