Fluted Porcelain Lamp by Gerald Thurston
View Similar Items
Fluted Porcelain Lamp by Gerald Thurston
About the Item
- Creator:Gerald Thurston (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 29 in (73.66 cm)Diameter: 11 in (27.94 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950
- Condition:
- Seller Location:New York, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU9569736298
Gerald Thurston
As the leading designer at Lightolier during the postwar building and design boom, Gerald Thurston created his clever lighting — sleek floor lamps, table lamps and desk lamps — to suit the American lifestyles of 1950s and 1960s. His designs were at the forefront of the mid-century modern lighting revolution — like much of the visionary work being done at the time in furniture and interiors, Thurston’s fixtures are both elegant and totally innovative, reflecting the exploration of new ideas and new technology that consumed designers of the era.
Thurston eventually led a stellar team of international lighting designers at Lightolier. He was important to the pioneering East Coast–based electric lighting company, and rumor has it that because he sketched every design on craft paper, the manufacturer insured his right hand for one million American dollars.
While enrolled in the School of the Art Institute of Chicago during the 1930s, where he earned his degree in industrial design, Thurston worked as a freelance designer for the Zenith Radio Corporation. Once he graduated, he found a position at the New Metal Craft Company. There he designed custom lighting fixtures and decorative objects for architects and interior designers.
Lightolier enticed Thurston to join them in approximately 1950. That same year, New York’s Museum of Modern Art featured a green floor lamp of his in their Good Design Exhibition of 1950. The sculptural lamps that Thurston created for Lightolier are representative of his interest in Scandinavian modernist lighting as well as the revolutionary designs produced by postwar Italian companies such as Arredoluce and Arteluce. (Lightolier partnered with the latter, and Thurston found inspiration in the work of Arteluce founder Gino Sarfatti.)
During Thurston’s decades-long tenure with Lightolier, he became internationally known for his many designs. His modernist fixtures are characterized by clean lines, vibrant colors and an appealing meld of metals and rich woods. His slender-legged Lightolier Tripod floor lamp, introduced in the 1960s, garnered widespread acclaim, while his whimsical Cricket lamp, with its arthropodan shade and slim brass frame, is wholly versatile — it can be hung as a sconce or positioned on a desk and offers direct or diffused light.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Gerald Thurston lighting, decorative objects and more.
- Westwood Lamps, Bronze, SignedBy Westwood IndustriesLocated in New York, NYWestwood Lamps, Bronze, Signed. Small scale chunky lamps in cast bronze by Westwood Industries. Rewired with quality single sockets by our expert lamp restorer. The cords have on/off...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBronze
- Westwood Industries Inc Lamp, Bronze, FacetedBy Westwood IndustriesLocated in New York, NYWestwood Industries Bronze Faceted Table Lamp. A print ad, from a 1958 House Beautiful, describes Westwood industries of Paterson New Jersey as "Cr...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBronze
- Hansen Lamp, Acrylic, Nickel Chrome, SignedBy Hansen Lighting Co.Located in New York, NYHansen lamp, acrylic, nickel chrome, signed. High quality slender polished clear acrylic cylinder lamp mounted on a square plated steel base with three original porcelain sockets and...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsAcrylic
- Bitossi Lamp, Ceramic, 24K Metallic Gold, TexturedBy BitossiLocated in New York, NYBitossi Lamp, Ceramic, 24K Metallic Gold, Textured. Small scale cylindrical table lamp with stepped neck and stippled textured body. The Bitossi factory mixed 24-karat gold to achiev...Category
Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsCeramic
- David Cressey Table Lamp, Glazed, Ceramic, VioletBy David CresseyLocated in New York, NYDavid Cressey Table Lamp, Glazed, Ceramic. Large California Modern hand-thrown glazed pottery lamp mounted on a 1.5 inch walnut base. The ceramic lamp body measures 17 inches. The me...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBrass
- Bitossi Lamp, Ceramic, Stripes, Blue, White, SignedBy BitossiLocated in New York, NYBitossi lamp, ceramic, white and blue stripes, signed. Bottle shaped form table lamp with horizontal glazed stripes having the following colors: teal, navy, sky blue, magenta, black ...Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsCeramic
- Gerald Thurston Porcelain LampsBy Gerald ThurstonLocated in New York, NYMid-Century Classic ivory glazed porcelain lamps with speckled horizontal stripes resting on matte finished bases with an aged brass band. Lamps have been rewired for use in the USA ...Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBrass
$4,500 / set - Porcelain Hourglass Table Lamps by Gerald Thurston, 1950sBy Lightolier, Gerald ThurstonLocated in Westport, CTStunning pair of vintage table lamps that exude sophistication and style - a true collector's item for those who appreciate mid-century modern design. These lamps were designed by th...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBrass
- Porcelain Table Lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier, 1950sBy Gerald Thurston, LightolierLocated in Westport, CTSpeckled porcelain and brass table lamp designed by Gerald Thurston for Lightiolier, circa 1950-1959. Completely rewired, newly white linen shade included. Other designers of the ...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBrass
- Gerald Thurston Cricket LampBy Lightolier, Gerald ThurstonLocated in Brooklyn, NYOriginal "Cricket" table lamp, designed by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier. Enameled white shade, articulates from angular brass base. A versatile lamp that may be hung on the wall as...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsSteel
- Vintage Gerald Thurston Porcelain Table Lamps for LightolierBy Gerald Thurston, LightolierLocated in Chicago, ILGerald Thurston porcelain table lamps for Lightolier.Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsPorcelain
- Expertly Restored - Gerald Thurston "Fin" Porcelain Table Lamps by LightolierBy Lightolier, Gerald ThurstonLocated in Los Angeles, CAGerald Thurston "Fin" porcelain table lamps by Lightolier. ________________________________________ Transforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is like bringing history ba...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBrass