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Paavo Tynell, Rare Desk Lamp, Steel, Lacquered metal, Taito OY, Finland, 1930s
By Paavo Tynell, Taito Oy
Located in High Point, NC
A rare and early table or desk lamp. Designed by Paavo Tynell in and produced by his own firm
Category

Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Steel

Steel Desk Lamp, Belgium
Located in Stamford, CT
Moderne silver painted desk lamp with glass shade.
Category

Vintage 1930s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Steel Desk Lamp, Belgium
Steel Desk Lamp, Belgium
H 25 in Dm 20 in
Midcentury Dome Desk Lamp by Laurel
By Laurel Lamp Company
Located in BROOKLYN, NY
Black dome shade desk lamp having a circular hood offset shade, not centered on the vertical column
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Chrome, Steel

Ron Rezek Raw Steel Desk Lamp
By Ron Rezek
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Desk lamp designed by Ron Rezek. This lamp has a raw steel finish, an adjustable arm and shade
Category

Vintage 1980s American Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Ron Rezek Raw Steel Desk Lamp
Ron Rezek Raw Steel Desk Lamp
H 14.5 in W 14 in D 18 in
Eclipse Stainless Steel Desk Lamp by Carla Baz
By Carla Baz
Located in Geneve, CH
Eclipse Stainless Steel Desk Lamp by Carla Baz Dimensions: D 15 x W 15 x D 11 cm. Materials
Category

2010s Lebanese Post-Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Stainless Steel

Tall French Chrome-Plated Steel Desk Lamp, Circa 1950
Located in Hudson, NY
Tall French Chrome-plated steel desk lamp circa 1950
Category

20th Century French Table Lamps

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Pair of Mid-Century Modern Steel Desk Table Lamps
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous pair of gooseneck steel desk lamps. Many different settings for using these lamps either
Category

Vintage 1950s American Bauhaus Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Art Deco Style Black Table Lamp, England Desk Lamp, Aluminum, Steel
By Peter Bowles (Original BTC)
Located in Valladolid, ES
Gorgeous Table or desk lamp designed by Original BTC, London model. The aluminum lampshade, matt
Category

2010s English Art Deco Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Industrial Steel Desk Lamp Hala Zeist 1950s The Netherlands
By Hala Zeist
Located in Bjuråker, SE
This industrial desk lamp was made by Dutch lamp manufacturer Hala in Zeist and dates from the
Category

Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Mid-Century Modern Steel Desk Lamp Manner of Paavo Tynell
By Paavo Tynell
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Unique desk table lamp in the style of Paavo Tynell. Pierced shade which is adjustable with a
Category

Vintage 1950s Unknown Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass, Steel

Collectible Space Age Table / Desk Lamp in Steel and Plexiglass
Located in Milano, IT
Intriguing desk/table lamp in metal, with an opaline plexiglass lampshade. Made in Italy in the
Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Space Age Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Stainless Steel

Brushed Steel Industrial Modernist Tubular Desk Task Lamp, Italy 1960's
Located in New York, NY
Brushed steel desk lamp adjustable in three directions on a square base.
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Industrial Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Vintage Greta Von Nessen Desk Lamp in Stainless Steel
By Greta Von Nessen, Nessen Studio
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Greta Von Nessen Desk Lamp in understated Stainless Steel. The shade pivots up and down
Category

Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Vintage Industrial Steel Dugdills Machinist's Wall Desk Lamp Light, C.1930
By Dugdills
Located in London, GB
Beautifully engineered workman's lamp designed by renowned lighting manufactures Dugdills. c.1920
Category

Vintage 1930s English Industrial Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Vintage Industrial Steel Dugdills Machinist's Wall Desk Lamp Light, C.1930
By Dugdills
Located in London, GB
Beautifully engineered workman's lamp designed by renowned lighting manufactures Dugdills. c.1930
Category

Vintage 1930s English Industrial Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Modernist, Machine Age Stainless Steel / Metal Industrial Desk Lamp, Art Deco
By Gilbert Rohde
Located in Buffalo, NY
Unusual modernist, machine age stainless steel / metal industrial desk lamp, circa 1930s
Category

Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Aluminum, Stainless Steel

Articulated Desk Lamp
By Walligraph
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An articulated Zonalite desk lamp with a pivoting black and white enameled shade and a square moat
Category

Vintage 1930s English Industrial Table Lamps

Materials

Enamel, Steel

Articulated Desk Lamp
Articulated Desk Lamp
H 39.5 in W 6.75 in D 18.5 in
Original Robert Sonneman Postmodern Libra Desk Lamp Black Steel Satin Nickel 06
By Robert and Richard Sonneman, Sonneman Lighting
Located in Miami, FL
Ingenious desk lamp designed by Robert and Richard Sonneman with a counterweight mechanism which
Category

Early 2000s American Post-Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel, Nickel

Antique Industrial Steel Cogge Dugdills Machinist's Wall Desk Lamp Light, C.1910
By Dugdills
Located in London, GB
bolts. Fully articulating, allowing this versatile lamp to be positioned in any manner and can be desk
Category

Vintage 1910s English Industrial Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Tensor Desk Lamp
By Tensor
Located in Sheffield, MA
Tensor IL200 adjustable desk or table lamp with perfect 1980s styling is small in size but great
Category

Vintage 1980s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Tensor Desk Lamp
Tensor Desk Lamp
H 12 in W 7 in D 5 in
S. Björklund and L. Gustafsson Swedish "Delux" Desk Lamp in Chromed Steel
By Falkenbergs Belysning, S. Björklund and L. Gustafsson
Located in Waalwijk, NL
, chromed steel, aluminum, Sweden, 1970s This modern Swedish table desk lamp features an oval shaped lamp
Category

Vintage 1970s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Bayard France 1930 Art Deco Desk Table Lamp and Alarm Clock in Stainless Steel
By Bayard
Located in Miami, FL
A desk lamp clock designed by Bayard France. Fabulous and very handsome integrated desk lamp
Category

Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Table Clocks and Desk Clocks

Materials

Enamel, Steel, Stainless Steel

1970's Large "Boomerang" Desk Lamp by Fase, Steel, Frosted Glass - Spain
By Fase
Located in Girona, ES
Large desk lamp, white enameled steel arm pivoting on a nickel plated metal round base, frosted
Category

Vintage 1970s Spanish Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Nickel, Steel

Vintage Italian Arch Chrome & Steel Table Desk Lamp Mid-Century Modern, 1980
Located in Miami, FL
Italian 1980 Mid-Century Modern chrome & steel desk lamp with swing arch stem. The round base has
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Chrome, Steel

Bicolored Desk Lamp
By Fase
Located in Vienna, AT
Gold/Braun colored with chromed lamp arm. Two bulbs E27 (max. 60W) now fitten with LED bulbs
Category

Vintage 1960s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Chrome, Cut Steel

Bicolored Desk Lamp
Bicolored Desk Lamp
H 15.36 in W 11.42 in D 18.51 in
Premium Extra Large Desk Lamp in Steel, Bakelite and Oakwood, 1950s Belgium
Located in Voorburg, NL
Beautiful desk lamp produced in Belgium in the 1950s. The lamp is standing on a firm oakwood base
Category

Mid-20th Century Belgian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Stainless Steel

Mid Century Two Light Flex Arm Desk Lamp poss. Laurel or Thurston
By Gerald Thurston, Laurel Lamp Company
Located in New York, NY
Chic two light flex arm desk lamp, constructed of anodized gold/brass tone aluminum, brass and
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum

Studio BBPR for Olivetti 'Spazio' Corner Desk with Original Lamp
By Studio BBPR, Olivetti
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Studio BBPR for Olivetti, 'Spazio' corner/writing desk, coated steel, plastic, vinyl, Italy, design
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Steel

Maison Charles Desk Lamp
By Maison Charles
Located in San Francisco, CA
Maison Charles design stainless steel lamp, France. Elegant Art Deco inspired desk or night light
Category

Vintage 1980s French Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Stainless Steel

Maison Charles Desk Lamp
Maison Charles Desk Lamp
H 14 in W 4.25 in D 18 in
Italian Desk Lamp, 1960s
By Angelo Lelii, Arredoluce
Located in Vienna, AT
Rare Italian desk lamp in chromed brass and black enameled steel. Lovely dynamic design with nicely
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Space Age Table Lamps

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Italian Desk Lamp, 1960s
Italian Desk Lamp, 1960s
H 13.39 in W 22.05 in D 3.94 in
Sculptural Desk Lamp, 1960s
By Baltensweiler AG
Located in New York, NY
Sculptural desk lamp with white textured steel base and adjustable aluminum and white shade by
Category

Vintage 1960s Swiss Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Sculptural Desk Lamp, 1960s
Sculptural Desk Lamp, 1960s
H 18 in W 5 in D 13 in
Allan Gould Desk Lamp
By Allan Gould
Located in Chicago, IL
Allan Gould for Mutual-Sunset Lamp Manufacturing Company, rare desk lamp. Chrome-plated steel with
Category

Vintage 1940s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel, Brass

Allan Gould Desk Lamp
Allan Gould Desk Lamp
H 14.5 in W 18.25 in D 8 in
Vintage Brass & Brushed Steel Maison Jansen Style Table Desk Lamp, circa 1980s
By Maison Jansen
Located in Landau an der Isar, Bayern
High quality Maison Jansen style table lamp in polished brass and brushed steel, circa 1980s. This
Category

Late 20th Century German Hollywood Regency Table Lamps

Materials

Brass, Steel

Italian modern metal and chromed steel desk lamp Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce 1970
By Arteluce, Gino Sarfatti
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern black metal and chromed steel desk lamp by Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce, 1970s Desk
Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Steel

Work Sun Desk Lamp
By Arteluce, Arredoluce, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Dronten, NL
Minimalist halogen desk lamp 'Work Sun' made by Euro Licht. Made in 1983, in fine vintage condition
Category

Mid-20th Century Dutch Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Work Sun Desk Lamp
Work Sun Desk Lamp
H 13.78 in W 3.94 in D 13.39 in
Téssara Aktís Desk Lamp
By Studio S II
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Téssara Aktís Desk Lamp highlights the deceptive complexity of a cube. When folded and closed
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Industrial Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Stainless Steel

Téssara Aktís Desk Lamp
Téssara Aktís Desk Lamp
H 16 in W 6 in D 17 in
Desk Lamp by Stilnovo
By Stilnovo
Located in Dronten, NL
Adjustable desk lamp by Stilnovo. Stilnovo, a hallmark of the mid-20th-century Italian design
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Chrome, Steel

Desk Lamp by Stilnovo
Desk Lamp by Stilnovo
H 17.72 in W 9.85 in D 5.91 in
Desk lamp Louis Kalff
By Louis Kalff
Located in EINDHOVEN, NL
Height: 43 cm. Ø: 39 cm. The lamp is equipped with a large bulb holder (E27). Origin: The
Category

Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Desk lamp Louis Kalff
Desk lamp Louis Kalff
H 16.93 in W 15.36 in D 15.36 in
Nessen Studios Brushed Steel Swing Arm Desk Lamp with Cylinder Shade, 1960's
By Nessen Studio
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Nessen Studios Brushed Steel Swing Arm Desk Lamp with extending and adjustable Cylinder Shade. This
Category

Vintage 1960s American Machine Age Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Vintage Danish Steel Trombone Desk Lamp by Jo Hammerborg for Fog & Mørup 1960s
By Jo Hammerborg, Fog & Mørup
Located in Aarhus C, DK
Original vintage Trombone desk lamp designed by Danish designer Jo Hammerborg. The shade is made
Category

Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel, Aluminum, Metal

Desk Lamp by Tensor
By Tensor
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A desk / table lamp made of a singular stamped, die cut and folded piece of metal, painted black
Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Desk Lamp by Tensor
Desk Lamp by Tensor
H 17 in W 6 in D 6 in
Arne Jacobsen Desk Lamp
By Arne Jacobsen
Located in San Francisco, CA
An "AJ", table lamp of grey lacquered metal. Adjustable shade and push button switch on food
Category

Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Arne Jacobsen Desk Lamp
Arne Jacobsen Desk Lamp
H 21.5 in Dm 13.75 in
Jasper Morrison Modern Sphere Glass Stainless Steel T1 Desk Table Lamp for FLOS
By Jasper Morrison, Flos
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Flos Glo-Ball T1 Halogen Table Lamp by Jasper Morrison Part of the popular Glo Ball Series, the Glo
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Fase Madrid Desk Lamp
By Fase
Located in Vienna, AT
Steel construction white painted and chromed fitted with one E27 socket made by Fase in the
Category

Vintage 1980s Spanish Post-Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Fase Madrid Desk Lamp
Fase Madrid Desk Lamp
H 19.69 in W 11.82 in D 17.72 in
1960's Micro desk lamp
Located in Montréal, QC
Small desk lamp made in Italy. Chromed brass and lacquered aluminium shade, chromed brass fittings
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Enamel, Steel, Chrome

1960's Micro desk lamp
1960's Micro desk lamp
H 14 in W 3.25 in D 6 in
1950's German Desk Lamps
Located in Montréal, QC
Pair of petite German desk lamps. Enameled vented steel shades, brass gooseneck, enameled steel
Category

Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass, Steel, Enamel

1950's German Desk Lamps
1950's German Desk Lamps
H 10 in W 6 in D 9 in
High Style Midcentury Desk Lamp
Located in Van Nuys, CA
High style midcentury desk lamp with an enameled frostine white steel body and brass accents. The
Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass, Steel

High Style Midcentury Desk Lamp
High Style Midcentury Desk Lamp
H 20 in W 14 in D 6.5 in
Italian Table or Desk Lamp in Postmodern Style Steel and Murano Glass by Leucos
By Leucos Design Lab
Located in Doornspijk, NL
Wonderful arch shaped table or desk lamp by Italian light specialist Leucos. Its base is made of
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

NJP Table Lamp or Desk Lamp White
By Oki Sato, Louis Poulsen
Located in Courbevoie, FR
The lamp was designed by Nendo design studio of Japan and designer Oki Sato. NJP Table is a new
Category

2010s Japanese Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

NJP Table Lamp or Desk Lamp White
NJP Table Lamp or Desk Lamp White
H 188.98 in W 86.62 in D 188.98 in
Articulated Quilted Glass Desk Lamp
By Early Electrics Design Studio
Located in Peekskill, NY
This started life as a simple 1930s workshop lamp and we took it a few steps further. This lamp
Category

Early 20th Century American Industrial Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Architectural Desk Lamp, Robert Sonneman
By Robert Sonneman
Located in London, GB
A lovely example of Robert Sonneman Memphis design table/desk lamp. Matte black finish with thick
Category

Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Architectural Desk Lamp, Robert Sonneman
Architectural Desk Lamp, Robert Sonneman
H 12.21 in W 17.33 in D 4.34 in
Architectural Desk Lamp in Casted Iron, Steel and Ribbed Aluminum, France, 1960s
Located in Amsterdam, NL
A unique desk lamp because of its industrial character, its large size and the interesting
Category

Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Iron

Serge Mouille - Tripod Desk Lamp
By Serge Mouille
Located in Stratford, CT
DESCRIPTION: This desk lamp is a certified re-edition, produced by the family of Serge Mouille on
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel, Aluminum

Serge Mouille - Tripod Desk Lamp
Serge Mouille - Tripod Desk Lamp
H 14 in W 12 in D 14 in
Serge Mouille Desk Lamp Saturn
By Serge Mouille
Located in London, GB
Saturn sconce but as a desk lamp.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Table Lamps

Materials

Brass, Steel

Serge Mouille Desk Lamp Saturn
Serge Mouille Desk Lamp Saturn
H 15.75 in Dm 16.15 in
Serge Mouille - Saturn Desk Lamp
By Serge Mouille
Located in Stratford, CT
Taking the planet as inspiration, this desk lamp is a unique source of light, comparable to an
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Chrome, Steel

Serge Mouille - Saturn Desk Lamp
Serge Mouille - Saturn Desk Lamp
H 16 in W 16 in D 15 in
Ewå Värnamo, Desk Light / Table Lamp, Teak, Brass, Lacquered Steel, Sweden 1960s
By Ewå Värnamo
Located in High Point, NC
A highly modernist table lamp / desk light. Produced by Ewå Värnamo, Sweden, 1960s. Blue leather to
Category

Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Steam-Punk Rocket Desk Lamp
By Edison
Located in Berkeley, CA
. Lab glass funnel, motorcycle gear, custom cut brass, old lamp body, etc but all wiring is brand new
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Brutalist Table Lamps

Materials

Brass, Steel

Steam-Punk Rocket Desk Lamp
Steam-Punk Rocket Desk Lamp
H 47 in W 10 in D 27 in
Nessen Desk or Table Lamp
By Nessen Studio
Located in Highland, IN
A little lamp is perfect for the desk or table, this wonderful design by Nessen is both playful and
Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel, Brass

Nessen Desk or Table Lamp
Nessen Desk or Table Lamp
H 19.5 in W 5 in D 9 in
Pair Mid-Century Desk Lamps
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Mid-Century Modern style tables lamps in polished metal. Attractive arching arm with round shade
Category

20th Century Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Stainless Steel

MG Wheeler Desk Lamp
Located in Southampton, GB
Mid Century Desk Lamp by M.G Wheeler. A heavy steel base supports an angled, tubular brass arm on a
Category

Mid-20th Century Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass, Enamel

MG Wheeler Desk Lamp
MG Wheeler Desk Lamp
H 13.8 in W 9.4 in D 7 in
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Desk Lamp Steel For Sale on 1stDibs

At 1stDibs, there are many versions of the ideal desk lamp steel for your home. Each desk lamp steel for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using metal, steel and aluminum. If you’re shopping for a desk lamp steel, we have 1517 options in-stock, while there are 274 modern editions to choose from as well. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer desk lamp steel, there are earlier versions available from the 19th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 21st Century. A desk lamp steel, designed in the mid-century modern, modern or industrial style, is generally a popular piece of furniture. Many designers have produced at least one well-made desk lamp steel over the years, but those crafted by Artemide, Christian Dell and Dessie Studio are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

How Much is a Desk Lamp Steel?

A desk lamp steel can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price 1stDibs is $1,150, while the lowest priced sells for $1 and the highest can go for as much as $62,963.

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.

Questions About Desk Lamp Steel
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    A tanker desk, also known as a pedestal desk, is a large, free-standing desk with a work surface atop two pedestals or cabinets. Steel versions of the desk were introduced in the 1940s and often used in institutions, such as schools and government offices. Shop a range of vintage tanker desks on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 26, 2021
    The 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.
  • 1stDibs 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.

  • 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 28, 2021
    A 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.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 5, 2021
    There 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, 2022
    The 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 ExpertApril 5, 2022
    British 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.

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