Vintage Desk Lamps
Vintage 1970s American Industrial Table Lamps
Aluminum, Steel
Vintage 1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Table Lamps
Plastic
Vintage 1970s European Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Metal
Late 20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Glass, Plastic
Late 20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Metal, Chrome
Late 20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Glass
20th Century American Table Lamps
Nickel
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1950s American Table Lamps
Steel
Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Vintage 1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1970s Italian Space Age Table Lamps
Steel
Vintage 1970s Portuguese Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Brass
Vintage 1940s Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1960s Latvian Industrial Table Lamps
Metal, Enamel
Vintage 1960s Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1970s Table Lamps
Vintage 1970s Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1970s Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1960s Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1960s German Bauhaus Table Lamps
Metal
Late 20th Century Post-Modern Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1960s Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1910s English Industrial Table Lamps
Brass, Steel
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1970s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1970s Dutch Modern Table Lamps
Steel, Chrome
Vintage 1960s Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Table Lamps
Mid-20th Century Industrial Table Lamps
Aluminum, Chrome
Late 20th Century Post-Modern Table Lamps
Metal
Mid-20th Century Table Lamps
Chrome
Vintage 1970s Table Lamps
Metal
Mid-20th Century German Bauhaus Table Lamps
Metal
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Metal
Late 20th Century Modern Table Lamps
Plastic
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Chrome
Mid-20th Century Belgian Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1940s Table Lamps
Brass, Metal
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Table Lamps
Glass
20th Century French Table Lamps
Vintage 1970s Industrial Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1970s German Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Chrome
20th Century Table Lamps
Brass
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1980s Italian Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1980s Italian Modern Table Lamps
Metal
Early 2000s Virgin Islands Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1940s French Table Lamps
Brass
Vintage 1980s Italian Table Lamps
Aluminum
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1980s North American Post-Modern Table Lamps
Brass
Mid-20th Century Irish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Brass
Vintage 1970s Table Lamps
Murano Glass
Early 20th Century Belgian Table Lamps
Metal
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Vintage Desk Lamps For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much are Vintage Desk Lamps?
Finding the Right Table Lamps for You
Well-crafted antique and vintage table lamps do more than provide light; the right fixture-and-table combination can add a focal point or creative element to any interior.
Proper table lamps have long been used for lighting our most intimate spaces. Perfect for lighting your nightstand or reading nook, table lamps play an integral role in styling an inviting room. In the years before electricity, lamps used oil. Today, a rewired 19th-century vintage lamp can still provide a touch of elegance for a study.
After industrial milestones such as mass production took hold in the Victorian era, various design movements sought to bring craftsmanship and innovation back to this indispensable household item. Lighting designers affiliated with Art Deco, which originated in the glamorous roaring ’20s, sought to celebrate modern life by fusing modern metals with dark woods and dazzling colors in the fixtures of the era. The geometric shapes and gilded details of vintage Art Deco table lamps provide an air of luxury and sophistication that never goes out of style.
After launching in 1934, Anglepoise lamps soon became a favorite among modernist architects and designers, who interpreted the fixture as “a machine for lighting,” just as Le Corbusier had reimagined the house as “a machine for living in.” The popular task light owed to a collaboration between a vehicle-suspension engineer by the name of George Carwardine and a West Midlands springs manufacturer, Herbert Terry Sons.
Some mid-century modern table lamps, particularly those created by the likes of Joe Colombo and the legendary lighting artisans at Fontana Arte, bear all the provocative hallmarks associated with Space Age design. Sculptural and versatile, the Louis Poulsen table lamps of that period were revolutionary for their time and still seem innovative today.
If you are looking for something more contemporary, industrial table lamps are demonstrative of a newly chic style that isn’t afraid to pay homage to the past. They look particularly at home in any rustic loft space amid exposed brick and steel beams.
Before you buy a desk lamp or table lamp for your living room, consider your lighting needs. The Snoopy lamp, designed in 1967, or any other “banker’s lamp” (shorthand for the Emeralite desk lamps patented by H.G. McFaddin and Company), provides light at a downward angle that is perfect for writing, while the Fontana table lamp and the beloved Grasshopper lamp by Greta Magnusson-Grossman each yield a soft and even glow. Some table lamps require lampshades to be bought separately.
Whether it’s a classic antique Tiffany table lamp, a Murano glass table lamp or even a bold avant-garde fixture custom-made by a contemporary design firm, the right table lamp can completely transform a room. Find the right one for you on 1stDibs.
- What is a good desk lamp?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertSeptember 28, 2021A good desk lamp is going to make a substantial difference in any home, office or studio. The ideal desk lamp should provide apt task lighting, be easy to use, and also be aesthetically pleasing. Find a wide range of unique and elegant desk lamps on 1stDibs today.
- What is the best desk lamp?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 26, 2021The best desk lamp is a matter of preference — the right fixture can help you work more efficiently while also reducing eye strain. LED desk lamps in the 2700K to 4500K color temperature range often provide a warm and pleasing light under which to work. Shop a collection of antique, vintage, and modern desk lamps from some of the world’s top dealers on 1stDibs.
- Who invented the desk lamp?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2024
No one knows for sure who invented the desk lamp, as many engineers worked on designs for lamps during the 1920s. Many experts cite the Anglepoise lamp, however, as the earliest iteration of the modern desk lamp. Since its 1934 debut, this ingenious task light has become one of the most celebrated examples of industrial design.
How the Anglepoise came to be is the stuff of design legend: In 1932, a vehicle-suspension engineer by the name of George Carwardine joined forces with a West Midlands springs manufacturer, Herbert Terry Sons, to create a mechanism by which opposed springs would, as Carwardine explained, exert a “unidirectional constant force” on a pivoted lever that could counteract the force of gravity.
This invention was not destined for an auto but for a lamp Carwardine was developing. The innovation would allow the piece’s articulated arm to be moved with ease to almost any position and remain there. As the product of engineering acumen rather than fashion, the Anglepoise soon became a favorite among modernist architects and designers, who interpreted it as “a machine for lighting,” just as Le Corbusier had reimagined the house as “a machine for living in.”
The Angelpoise's rivals include the 1930 Bestlite, which was one of the earliest Bauhaus-influenced designs, created by Robert Dudley Best, who had studied under Walter Gropius at the Bauhaus in Dessau. German modernist Karl Trabert’s 1930s desk lamp for Schanzenbach Co. was notable for its domed shade above a hinged arm.
Find vintage table lamps and other lighting on 1stDibs. - What is the best LED desk lamp?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertOctober 5, 2021There are many types of best LED desk lamps for your home — it's really a matter of preference. On 1stDibs, there are modern, mid-century modern desk lamps and other lighting to choose from.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022British designer George Carwardine designed the Anglepoise desk lamp. Before creating the light fixture, he worked as an engineer designing automobile suspension systems. The first Anglepoise lamps debuted in 1931. You can find a variety of Anglepoise desk lamps on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022The desk lamps with the green shade are called banker’s lamps. Banker’s lamps are green because it is believed the color helps to encourage concentration and is mentally soothing. It is also said that green helps with eye strain. You can shop a selection of banker’s lamps from some of the world’s top sellers 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.
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