Lightolier Floor Lamps
Founded in 1904 in New York and family-operated through most of its history, Lightolier was one of the pioneering American electric lighting companies, best known for its embrace of stylistic and technical innovations.
Collectors focus on vintage Lightolier lighting fixtures produced from the 1950s and into the 1970s, when an in-house design team led by Gerald Thurston — and a stellar cast of international design contributors — created an array of practical yet aesthetically lively table lamps, floor lamps, sconces and chandeliers.
Amidst the post-World War II building boom, Lightolier — the name combines “light” and “chandelier” — aggressively boosted its residential lighting division. Thurston, who was strongly influenced by the sleek designs of Gino Sarfatti and his Italian lighting firm Arteluce, towards simpler lamp designs that offered flexibility of function. His best-known designs include the Cricket task light — a lamp with an adjustable enameled metal hood that toggles on a slender bent-metal base — and the three-legged Tripod floor lamp. At the same time, Thurston had a wonderful eye for talent and sought work from some of the lesser-known greats of the era, such as Paavo Tynell, the Finnish lighting designer, who designed several brass chandeliers for Lightolier with his trademark elegant flamboyance.
And more, Thurston recognized abilities in designers not known for their work in lighting.
Edward Wormley, head of furniture design for Dunbar, produced several noteworthy chandeliers employing canisters and reflective hoods. Alvin Lustig was famed as a graphic designer. His ca. 1953 Ring ceiling fixture for Lightolier had a minimalist techno look some 30 years ahead of its time. But this was par. Designed by Michael Lax in 1964, the Lytegem high-intensity lamp — included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art — features a ball-shaped shade attached with a chromed armature to a cubic base, a form that would be widely copied in the following decade. Chandeliers designed in the early 1970s by Gaetano Sciolari, with details such as acrylic diffusers and vertical, two-bulb arms, would define the look of lighting in their day.
A look through these pages reveals just how astonishingly wide a range of lighting pieces Lightolier produced. The company never flicked off its stylistic switch.
Find a collection of vintage Lightolier lamps and other lighting fixtures on 1stDibs.
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Creator: Lightolier
Black Gooseneck Floor Lamp by Gerald Thurston
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Black powder coated gooseneck floor lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier.
Newly rewired and powder coated black.
It takes two 75w Max Edison light bulbs.
Measurements:
40.75” ...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Steel
Lightolier Brass Tripod Floor Lamp in the style of Paul McCobb
By Paul McCobb, Lightolier
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Lightolier Brass Tripod Floor Lamp. 3 way switch turns 1, 2, or all 3 bulbs on. Still retains its plastic diffusor. Looks very much like some of the McCobb designs that were produ...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Brass
Mid Century Modern Lightolier 3 Shade Tension Pole Lamp Gerald Thurston 1950s
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Peoria, AZ
STUNNING & RARE!
1956
MID CENTURY MODERN
LIGHTOLIER
TENSION POLE LAMP!
THREE SHADES
ORANGE WHITE BLACK
GERALD THURSTON DESIGN
FITS 8 FT. CEILING
Mid Century Pole lamps are one...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Metal
1970s Lightolier floor lamp
By Lightolier
Located in Montréal, QC
Lightolier floor lamp, 1970s. Enameled composite metal head, chromed steel stem, enameled steel foot. 40 to 60 watt E-26 Edison medium base incandescent bulb or higher if LED/CFL.
...
Category
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Aluminum, Steel, Chrome
1950s Gerald Thurston Triennale Floor Lamp for Lightolier, USA
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in London, GB
Gerald Thurston Triennale floor lamp for Lightolier. Original dusky pink enameled frame and base with brass detailing.
In good vintage condition showing expected signs of wear comme...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Metal
Mid Century Gooseneck Floor Lamp by Thurston for Lightolier
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in New York, NY
Iconic Mid Century two light gooseneck floor lamp, having flex arms with conical shades, on round plinth base. Designed by Gerald Thurston, for Lightolier, circa 1950's. Often imita...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Brass, Steel
Mid Century Lytespan Tension Floor Lamp By Thurston for Lightolier c 1950/1960's
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in New York, NY
Iconic and rare Lytespan Mid Century tension pole floor lamp designed by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier c. 1950/1960's. The lamp features two cone shades, and one large up facing ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Aluminum, Brass
Vintage Gerald Thurston Floor Lamp for Lightolier
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Gerald Thurston Floor Lamp for Lightolier. Italian inspired. In the manner of Gino Sarfatti for Arredoluce
More than likely Jonathan Adler's Maxime Task Floor Lamp was a s...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Brass
Pair of Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Black & White Tripod Floor Lamps, 1950's
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Pair of Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Tripod Floor Lamps in Black & White with Off White shades. 1950's. With three balanced and supporte...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Metal
Lightolier Lytespan Tension Pole Lamp! Mid Century Modern 1950s Gerald Thurston
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in Peoria, AZ
MONUMENTAL!
LIGHTOLIER
MID CENTURY MODERN
LYTESPAN 1959
TENSION POLE LAMP!
ICONIC 3 GOLD SHADES WITH HANDLES!
FITS 8 FT. CEILING
This is both an iconic & gorgeous Lightolier atomic...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Metal
Three Shade Midcentury Modern Floor Lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Attractive and space efficient floor lamp designed by Gerald Thurston and manufactured by Lightolier. Both names are icons in the field of American midcentury modern lighting design ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Metal
Mid Century Black and Gold Adjustable Floor Lamp by Thurston for Lightolier
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in New York, NY
Classic Mid Century Triennale style floor lamp designed by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier, circa 1950/1960's. The lamp features three lights, each having a two tier cylindrical shad...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Metal
Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Tripod Floor Lamp
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Fraser, MI
Please feel free to reach out for accurate shipping to your location.
Tripod Floor Lamp.
Designed by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier.
Category
1950s Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Wrought Iron
1970s Lightolier Brass Waterfall Cage Lamp with New White Glass Diffusers
By Tommi Parzinger, Lightolier
Located in Chattanooga, TN
ALL OF THESE GLASS SHADES ARE NEW! FMV collaborated with a phenomenal glass fabrication studio to reproduce from a mold, cast from an original shade. The final product looks exactly like the original, except the glass on ours is a bit thicker (and stronger). Ethereal, majestic, brass waterfall floor lamp...
Category
1970s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Brass, Chrome
Floor Lamp by Lightolier
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in San Francisco, CA
A beauty in the rough.
This brass and hard wood floor lamp is in need of a little TLC and then it will shine again!
Brass is in great condition but may want a little polish. Hardwo...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Brass
Gerald Thurston Lightolier Floor Lamp
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in New York, NY
Classic Mid Century floor lamp, designed by Gerald Thurston , manufactured by Lightolier, circa 1950/1960's. This example features a sculpted tri pod base of solid brass, solid walnu...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Brass
Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Mid Century Walnut and Brass Floor Lamp
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Countryside, IL
Gerald Thurston for Lightolier mid century walnut and brass floor lamp
This lamp measures: 15 wide x 15 deep x 54.5 inches high
This lamp is in Fair Vintage Condition with some...
Category
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Brass
Gerald Thurston Brass Tri Pod Floor Lamp
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in New York, NY
Mid-century classic streamlined brass tripod floor lamp with linen shade. Some patina to brass, professionally rewired for use in the USA. Lamp uses 3 bulbs.
Shade not included. Shad...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Brass
Adjustable Floor Lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in New York, NY
Classic Thurston design Mid Century saucer top reading lamp manufactured by Lightolier. The lamp can be raised to 52 in, or lowered to 42 in H, the disk shade is 12 in. in diameter, ...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Brass, Steel
Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Floor Lamp
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in Hanover, MA
Mid-1950's three light floor lamp produced by Lightolier and designed by Gerald Thurston. The style of the pierced polished brass tapered bowls appears to have been influenced by the...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Copper, Brass
Midcentury Modern Floor Lamp with Articulating Pivoting Shades by Lightolier
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Three shade floor lamp with pivoting heads. Classic Lightolier styling in minimal elegant form. Each shade with own switch. It is recommended the buyer rewire the whole lamp, which i...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Metal
Vintage Lightolier Articulating Floor Lamp
By Lightolier
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Lightolier articulating floor lamp
Signed on underside
Base is 13" diameter.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Wood
Mid Century Thurston for Lightolier Torchiere
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in New York, NY
Classic mid century torchiere floor lamp, designed by Gerald Thurston, for Lightolier. This stunning lamp features a black base from...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Brass, Steel
Mid Century 3 Light Floor Lamp by Thurston
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in New York, NY
Rare mid century floor lamp having three adjustable cone form shades attached to a spiral twist form vertical post. Each shade will pivot and tilt, to direct the light, each shade me...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Aluminum, Brass
Lightolier Model 8180 Floor Lamp in the Style of Angelo Lelli
By Lightolier
Located in South Charleston, WV
Model 8180, 1972 Lightolier. 10 3/4" x 10 3/4" x 60" tall and featuring 3 chrome globes, this floor lamp is produced in Italy and marked as such. Likely produced at Arredoluce for Li...
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Steel, Chrome
Vintage Lightolier Turned Concave Wood Staff Floor Lamp by Gerald Thurston
By Lightolier
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Lightolier turned concave wood staff floor lamp by Gerald Thurston
Signed on underside.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Wood
Rare Floor Lamp by Tommi Parzinger
By Lightolier, Tommi Parzinger
Located in Ft Lauderdale, FL
Rare floor lamp by Tommi Parzinger for Lightolier. Six-arm, nickel-plated steel, trident-style with original shades. 1960s limited production in fantastic condition.
Category
20th Century American Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Steel
Mid Century Modern Gerald Thurston Torchiere Lamp with Glass Dish Shade
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous and a beautiful torchiere floor lamp by Gerald Thuston for Lightolier. Glass dish rests on a brass plate supported by three rods which are conne...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Brass, Steel
Modernist Triennale Floor Lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Buffalo, NY
Beautiful and extremely well made three shade floor lamp designed by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier. Made of brass and black painted metal, each shade retains its original metal swir...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Metal, Brass
Gaetano Sciolari for Lightolier Brass and Glass Rods Floor Lamp
By Gaetano Sciolari, Lightolier
Located in Hanover, MA
Dazzling floor lamp by Gaetano Sciolari for Lightolier in brass with multiple glass rods.
Illumination comes both from a single socket above for standard size Edison screw cap bu...
Category
1970s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Brass
Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Mid Century Brass and Lucite Rocket Floor Lamp
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Countryside, IL
Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Mid Century brass and Lucite rocket floor lamp
Base is 15 x 15 and the lamp is 51 inches high overall
Brass base has some spotting so we are selling t...
Category
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Brass
Lightolier, Floor Lamp
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in San Francisco, CA
Gerald Thurston floor lamp by Lightolier. Features a brass and walnut base and a perforated brass shade. Measures: 17" diameter x 64.5" height.
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Brass
Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Brass Tripod Floor Lamp, 1950s
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Early Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Brass Tripod Reading Floor Lamp with White Linen Shade. Featuring a joined tripod, three legged patinated Brass framework, Off-White enameled dif...
Category
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Metal, Brass
Mid Century Brass Floor Lamp Lightolier
By Lightolier
Located in Atlanta, GA
A very good looking mid-century floor lamp made by Lightolier USA. It features a tapering brass column over a black enamel base, the original molded cellulose shade with removable pe...
Category
1950s Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Brass, Steel
Thurston for Lightolier Floor Lamp
By Lightolier
Located in New York, NY
Gerald Thurston design for Lightolier Mid-Century floor lamp. Three iron rods with brass ball centre joint and single iron rod top. This example shows cosmetic wear to the finish, as...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Wrought Iron, Brass
1970s American Craftsman Style Walnut Floor Lamp by Lightolier
By Lightolier
Located in Sagaponack, NY
Four sided floor lamp evoking a Japanese Shoji screen. The frame of solid walnut set on an ebonized recessed plinth base with the frame having a...
Category
1970s American American Craftsman Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Birch, Walnut
1950s Torchère Floor Lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Sagaponack, NY
Classic uplight torchère floor lamp with three vertical brass rods supporting a shallow brass bowl and wider glass shade. The base designed by Gerald Thurston with a textured, fire a...
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Brass
1950s Black Enameled Steel & Brass Floor Lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Sagaponack, NY
Black enameled steel floor lamp with three brass arms holding a perforated steel reflector and shade.
Category
1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Brass, Steel
Lightolier Brass Dual Headed Floor Lamp
By Lightolier
Located in Middlesex, NJ
Lightolier brass dual headed floor lamp.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Brass
White Floor Lamp by Lightolier
By Lightolier
Located in Wien, AT
White floor lamp by Lightolier
Original condition.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Steel
Brushed Aluminum and Walnut Floor Lamp by Gerald Thurston
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Sophisticated floor lamp designed by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier.
Brushed aluminum and walnut.
Newly rewired.
New oatmeal colored linen shade.
Category
1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Lightolier Floor Lamps
Materials
Aluminum
Lightolier floor lamps for sale on 1stDibs.
Lightolier floor lamps are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Lightolier floor lamps, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original floor lamps by Lightolier were created in the mid-century modern style in united states during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider floor lamps by Gerald Thurston, George Kovacs, and Laurel Lamp Company. Prices for Lightolier floor lamps can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $595 and can go as high as $20,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,500.
Creators Similar to Lightolier
Questions About Lightolier Floor Lamps
- What is a Lightolier lamp?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Lightolier was founded in 1904 by Bernhard Blitzer and the name is a combination of the words “light” and “chandelier.” Lightolier specializes in elaborate and decorative chandeliers, but they also produce a style of lamps that combine functionality with a lively aesthetic. Browse a collection of Lightolier lamps on 1stDibs.
- Is Lightolier still in business?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Yes, Lightolier is still in business. Founded in 1904 and made popular by its electric lighting designs, Lightolier, a contraction of the words light and chandelier, can still be found in stores today. You can also shop Lightolier goods from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.