Dutch Blue-and-White Ceramic Table Lamp, 1977, with New Liberty London Shade

The Liberty of London department store, located in the fashionable west end of London in the United Kingdom, has been selling luxury items since 1875. From leather footstools in the shape of a hippo to elegantly hand-carved Moroccan coffee tables, there’s something to please every discerning collector. And while it became a reputable retailer over time, the original Liberty Co. was a pivotal force in the development of the Aesthetic, Art Nouveau and the Arts and Crafts movements. As the champion of eclectic design throughout the centuries, Liberty continues to collaborate with designers to produce covetable interior fashion and accessories.

Arthur Liberty was born in 1843 in Buckinghamshire, England. His father, a draper, encouraged him to apprentice as a draper at age 16. Instead, he took an offer to work at Farmer and Rogers, a women’s fashion store. After ten years, he decided to strike out on his own. In 1875 he borrowed money from his father-in-law and leased a small store on the very prominent Regent Street, naming it the East India House.

Liberty’s store was very eclectic. It served as an emporium for Eastern imports, with a wildly varied collection of ornaments, fabrics and objects d’art — including imported antiques — on offer. In London, there was already a demand for and an interest in imported goods from India and elsewhere, so his business concept was an immediate success. He repaid his loan in less than two years and continually expanded by buying up all the buildings on his side of the street. His company was so successful that even the original Victoria and Albert Museum purchased Eastern textiles for its collection from his store.

By 1890, the firm came to be known as Liberty Company. Liberty died in 1917, but the business continued to thrive. In 1924, the current iteration — and now world-famous — of the store was constructed. It was built in the Tudor Revival style and the structure's frame was made of wood salvaged from two British warships. In the 1950s and '60s, the store, now known as Liberty’s, helped spark the counterculture youth movements of the era as beatniks and hippies purchased fabrics and furnishings from this iconic store. 

On 1stDibs, find antique Liberty of London tables, decorative objects, seating and more.

Amitābha Studio is a husband-and-wife creative design studio founded in Amsterdam in 2021 by Davide Piai and Kimberly Poppe. The name "Amitābha" means "limitless light" in Sanskrit.

Davide Piai is an Italian craftsman with talents encompassing art, music, and culinary arts. Kimberly Poppe is an American artist, fine art photographer, curator, and interior designer, educated at Parsons School of Design and Sotheby's Institute of Art.

Together, they create functional art objects—notably luxury lighting and lamps—by meticulously sourcing and transforming antique and vintage ceramics into handcrafted designer pieces. Each of their lamps is one-of-a-kind.

In 2025, Amitābha Studio relocated to Sitges, on the Mediterranean coast south of Barcelona, Spain. While Dutch pottery remains at the heart of their collection, the move has allowed them to incorporate the rich ceramic heritage of Spain into their work.

The studio has collaborated with prestigious institutions, including Aronson Antiquairs for 17th-century Delftware and Royal Delft.