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Articulating Desk Lamp by O.C. White
Articulating Desk Lamp by O.C. White

Articulating Desk Lamp by O.C. White

Located in Sagaponack, NY

Articulating Desk Lamp

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

1930s Black Bauhaus Articulating Desk Lamp
1930s Black Bauhaus Articulating Desk Lamp

1930s Black Bauhaus Articulating Desk Lamp

Located in Turku, Varsinais-Suomi

Step back into the style and practicality of the 1930s with this Black Bauhaus Articulating Desk

Category

Early 20th Century Bauhaus Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Bausch & Lomb Industrial Articulating Desk Lamp, Mid-Century Modern
Bausch & Lomb Industrial Articulating Desk Lamp, Mid-Century Modern

Bausch & Lomb Industrial Articulating Desk Lamp, Mid-Century Modern

By Bausch & Lomb

Located in Hamilton, Ontario

Bausch & Lomb industrial articulating desk lamp, Mid-Century Modern.

Category

Mid-20th Century American Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Articulating Desk Lamp by Vilhelm Lauritzen for Louis Poulsen
Articulating Desk Lamp by Vilhelm Lauritzen for Louis Poulsen

Articulating Desk Lamp by Vilhelm Lauritzen for Louis Poulsen

By Louis Poulsen, Vilhelm Lauritzen

Located in Sagaponack, NY

An articulating desk lamp having a brass stem with patina and off-white enameled hood and base.

Category

Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass, Steel

Fagerhults, Articulating Desk Lamp, Brass, Sweden, 1960s
Fagerhults, Articulating Desk Lamp, Brass, Sweden, 1960s

Fagerhults, Articulating Desk Lamp, Brass, Sweden, 1960s

Located in Manhasset, NY

Fagerhults, Swedish Mid-Century Modern, Articulating Desk Lamp, Brass, Sweden, 1960s A brass table

Category

Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Bausch & Lomb Industrial Articulating Desk Lamp, Sconce Mid-Century Modern
Bausch & Lomb Industrial Articulating Desk Lamp, Sconce Mid-Century Modern

Bausch & Lomb Industrial Articulating Desk Lamp, Sconce Mid-Century Modern

By Bausch & Lomb

Located in Buffalo, NY

Bausch & Lomb Industrial articulating desk lamp, sconce... Mid-Century Modern...Art Deco, great

Category

Vintage 1950s American Art Deco Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Aluminum

Articulating Desk Lamp for Roxter
Articulating Desk Lamp for Roxter

Articulating Desk Lamp for Roxter

Located in Sagaponack, NY

A petite desk lamp with articulating arm and painted shade and base in grey.

Category

20th Century American Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Articulating Desk Lamp by Tensor, 1970s
Articulating Desk Lamp by Tensor, 1970s

Articulating Desk Lamp by Tensor, 1970s

Located in Sagaponack, NY

A petite white metal desk lamp with an adjustable arm and shade and a power switch located on its

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Clock Spring Industrial Articulating Desk Lamp
Clock Spring Industrial Articulating Desk Lamp

Clock Spring Industrial Articulating Desk Lamp

Located in Peekskill, NY

I always liked this early desk lamp and use one myself. It has a nice clean and elegant profile. It

Category

Early 20th Century American Industrial Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Koch & Lowy Chromed Articulating Desk Lamp
Koch & Lowy Chromed Articulating Desk Lamp

Koch & Lowy Chromed Articulating Desk Lamp

By Koch & Lowy

Located in North Miami, FL

This is a wonderful and original signed Koch & Lowy pivoting chromed desk lamp with tent shade

Category

Vintage 1960s German Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Chrome

Art Deco Articulating Desk Lamp. 1939 NYWF Rare Simulated Metal Leather
Art Deco Articulating Desk Lamp. 1939 NYWF Rare Simulated Metal Leather

Art Deco Articulating Desk Lamp. 1939 NYWF Rare Simulated Metal Leather

By Donald Deskey

Located in Peoria, AZ

Rare and Striking! Art Deco Metal & Brass Articulating Desk Lamp With Faux Leather Enamel Circa

Category

Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Articulating Desk Lamp by Angelo Lelli for Arredoluce
Articulating Desk Lamp by Angelo Lelli for Arredoluce

Articulating Desk Lamp by Angelo Lelli for Arredoluce

Located in Sagaponack, NY

An articulating Italian desk lamp with gooseneck arms and a counterweight/wire telescoping system

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Articulating Desk Lamp by Angelo Lelli for Arredoluce
Articulating Desk Lamp by Angelo Lelli for Arredoluce

Articulating Desk Lamp by Angelo Lelli for Arredoluce

By Angelo Lelii, Arteluce

Located in Sagaponack, NY

A Mid-Century Modern desk lamp designed by Angelo Lelli with gooseneck arms and a counter-weight

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Marble, Chrome, Steel

Mid Century Modern Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Articulating Desk Lamp
Mid Century Modern Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Articulating Desk Lamp

Mid Century Modern Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Articulating Desk Lamp

By Gerald Thurston

Located in Bedford Hills, NY

A masterful blend of utility and sculpture, this desk lamp was designed by the influential American

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Mid Century Articulating Desk Lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier
Mid Century Articulating Desk Lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier

Mid Century Articulating Desk Lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier

By Gerald Thurston

Located in Bedford Hills, NY

Iconic desk lamp designed by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier, all original, no missing parts or

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass, Enamel

Mid-Century Perhsson Leather Chrome Articulate Desk Lamp Olympics Chalet Rustic
Mid-Century Perhsson Leather Chrome Articulate Desk Lamp Olympics Chalet Rustic

Mid-Century Perhsson Leather Chrome Articulate Desk Lamp Olympics Chalet Rustic

By Ateljé Lyktan, Jacques Adnet

Located in Hyattsville, MD

Fully Functional, Complete. Two Standard Sockets, Three Light Settings. The Simris table lamp is

Category

Vintage 1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Chrome

Vintage Industrial Chrome and Black Articulating Task Lamp
Vintage Industrial Chrome and Black Articulating Task Lamp

Vintage Industrial Chrome and Black Articulating Task Lamp

By Bauhaus

Located in Sacramento, CA

Vintage industrial design chrome and black articulating desk lamp. Lamp height is adjustable and

Category

Mid-20th Century Industrial Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Wire

Desk Lamp by Gilbert Watrous for Heifetz Lighting Co.

Desk Lamp by Gilbert Watrous for Heifetz Lighting Co.

Located in Sagaponack, NY

An articulating desk lamp with a cone shaped shade on a metal base and a magnetic ball connection

Category

20th Century American Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Desk Lamp by Gilbert Watrous for Heifetz Lighting Co.
Desk Lamp by Gilbert Watrous for Heifetz Lighting Co.

Desk Lamp by Gilbert Watrous for Heifetz Lighting Co.

Located in Sagaponack, NY

An articulating desk lamp with a cone shaped shade on a circular wooden base and a magnetic ball

Category

20th Century American Table Lamps

Materials

Wood

Magnet Ball Lamp Tall by Gilbert Watrous for Heifetz Lighting Co.

Magnet Ball Lamp Tall by Gilbert Watrous for Heifetz Lighting Co.

Located in Sagaponack, NY

An articulating desk lamp with a magnetic ball connection to allow movement on a square wood base.

Category

20th Century American Table Lamps

Materials

Wood

Belmag Articulating Brass Goose Neck Desk Lamp Christian Dell Model K
Belmag Articulating Brass Goose Neck Desk Lamp Christian Dell Model K

Belmag Articulating Brass Goose Neck Desk Lamp Christian Dell Model K

By Christian Dell

Located in New York, NY

Swiss Belmag Articulating Goose Neck Desk Lamp designed by Christian Dell. Christian Dell for

Category

Vintage 1940s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Brass, Steel

Minty! White Sonneman Desk Table Lamp Articulating Gooseneck 1970 Rare Lighting
Minty! White Sonneman Desk Table Lamp Articulating Gooseneck 1970 Rare Lighting

Minty! White Sonneman Desk Table Lamp Articulating Gooseneck 1970 Rare Lighting

By Robert Sonneman

Located in Peoria, AZ

Minty! Stunning White & Black Sonneman Articulating Desk/Table Lamp Circa 1970 This is a

Category

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

Materials

Metal

Oscar Torlasco for Stilux Desk Lamp
Oscar Torlasco for Stilux Desk Lamp

Oscar Torlasco for Stilux Desk Lamp

By Stilux, Oscar Torlasco

Located in Hanover, MA

1950's Italian articulating desk lamp designed by Oscar Torlasco for Stilux Milano. Round white

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Marble, Aluminum, Brass, Enamel

Chic Handsome Robert Mathieu Lunel Brass and Black Table Lamp, France, 1950's
Chic Handsome Robert Mathieu Lunel Brass and Black Table Lamp, France, 1950's

Chic Handsome Robert Mathieu Lunel Brass and Black Table Lamp, France, 1950's

By Maison Lunel, Robert Mathieu

Located in New York, NY

Black and brass Robert Mathieu Lunel articulating desk lamp with beautiful patina and horseshoe

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Koch & Lowy Brass Swing Table Lamp, Mid-Century Modern, USA, 1970s
Koch & Lowy Brass Swing Table Lamp, Mid-Century Modern, USA, 1970s

Koch & Lowy Brass Swing Table Lamp, Mid-Century Modern, USA, 1970s

By Koch & Lowy

Located in Moreno Valley, CA

Mid-Century Brass Swing Table or Desk Lamp by Koch & Lowy. Brass finish Articulating Desk Lamp by

Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Lumen Milano Desk Lamp Mod C429 by Oscar Torlasco
Lumen Milano Desk Lamp Mod C429 by Oscar Torlasco

Lumen Milano Desk Lamp Mod C429 by Oscar Torlasco

By Lumen, Oscar Torlasco

Located in Hanover, MA

An articulating desk lamp model C429 by Lumen Milano in brass, enameled aluminum and marble, late

Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Marble, Aluminum, Brass

Sonneman Chrome Articulating Arm Eyeball Table Lamp! Swing Counterweight 1960s
Sonneman Chrome Articulating Arm Eyeball Table Lamp! Swing Counterweight 1960s

Sonneman Chrome Articulating Arm Eyeball Table Lamp! Swing Counterweight 1960s

By Robert Sonneman

Located in Peoria, AZ

Robert Sonneman articulating desk lamp with a very Italian, mid century style and panache! This lamp has

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Rare! Mid Century Modern Lightolier Twin Articulating Lamp Gerald Thurston 1955
Rare! Mid Century Modern Lightolier Twin Articulating Lamp Gerald Thurston 1955

Rare! Mid Century Modern Lightolier Twin Articulating Lamp Gerald Thurston 1955

By Gerald Thurston

Located in Peoria, AZ

RARE & FABULOUS! MID CENTURY MODERN GERALD THURSTON TWIN FIBERGLASS SHADE ARTICULATING DESK LAMP

Category

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

Materials

Metal

Articulating Faries Desk Lamp with Singer Shade
Articulating Faries Desk Lamp with Singer Shade

Articulating Faries Desk Lamp with Singer Shade

By Faries Lamp Co.

Located in Peekskill, NY

This is an unique Faries table lamp with an original Japanned finish. Of interest is the delicate

Category

Early 20th Century American Industrial Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Luxo/Lido Articulating Adjustable Architect’s Task Desk Lamp
Luxo/Lido Articulating Adjustable Architect’s Task Desk Lamp

Luxo/Lido Articulating Adjustable Architect’s Task Desk Lamp

By Luxo

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Classic architect’s drafting desk lamp. Iconic mid-century, modern design, fully functional

Category

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

Materials

Steel

1940s Articulating Clamp Lamp for Table Desk Oak Wood
1940s Articulating Clamp Lamp for Table Desk Oak Wood

1940s Articulating Clamp Lamp for Table Desk Oak Wood

Located in Chula Vista, CA

AMBIANIC presents 1940s Clamp Desk Lamp for Drafting Table Adjustable and Articulating 30 tall

Category

Mid-20th Century Art Deco Table Lamps

Materials

Oak

Table Desk or Bedside Lamps, Articulate Italy Mid-Century
Table Desk or Bedside Lamps, Articulate Italy Mid-Century

Table Desk or Bedside Lamps, Articulate Italy Mid-Century

Located in Vienna, AT

Articulate vintage desk lamps in great condition, Italy around 1970 Very cool petite articulate

Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Louis Baldinger Brass Articulating British Drafting Table Desk Lamp! Rare!
Louis Baldinger Brass Articulating British Drafting Table Desk Lamp! Rare!

Louis Baldinger Brass Articulating British Drafting Table Desk Lamp! Rare!

By Louis Baldinger & Sons

Located in Peoria, AZ

LOUIS BALDINGER BRASS ARTICULATING DRAFTING LAMP EXQUISITE! CLEAN ALL ORIGINAL! Dimensions: 20

Category

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

Materials

Metal

Signed Articulating American Fixture Co. Desk Lamp - Emerald Light Shade
Signed Articulating American Fixture Co. Desk Lamp - Emerald Light Shade

Signed Articulating American Fixture Co. Desk Lamp - Emerald Light Shade

Located in Peekskill, NY

has 10 articulating joints... something not found on other lamps of this size. The original makers

Category

Early 20th Century American Industrial Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Italian Midcentury Brass Articulating and Counter-Balance Desk Lamp, Arredoluce
Italian Midcentury Brass Articulating and Counter-Balance Desk Lamp, Arredoluce

Italian Midcentury Brass Articulating and Counter-Balance Desk Lamp, Arredoluce

By Angelo Lelii, Arredoluce

Located in New York, NY

Elegant and Dramatic Italian Mid-Century Modern style desk or table lamp in the style of Angelo

Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Belgian Black Marble, Brass, Metal

German Mid-Century Modern Solid Brass Articulating 'Bauhaus' Desk Lamp
German Mid-Century Modern Solid Brass Articulating 'Bauhaus' Desk Lamp

German Mid-Century Modern Solid Brass Articulating 'Bauhaus' Desk Lamp

By Hillebrand

Located in New York, NY

German 'Bauhaus' desk lamp in solid brass designed in the 1930 period and attributed to Hillebrand

Category

Vintage 1930s German Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Pair of Articulating Industrial Desk Lamps / Sconces by Bausch & Lomb
Pair of Articulating Industrial Desk Lamps / Sconces by Bausch & Lomb

Pair of Articulating Industrial Desk Lamps / Sconces by Bausch & Lomb

By Bausch & Lomb

Located in San Diego, CA

A very nice pair of articulating industrial desk lamps / sconces by Bausch & Lomb, circa 1940s. The

Category

Early 20th Century American Industrial Table Lamps

Materials

Steel, Zinc

Elegant Articulating Fratelli Martini Art Deco Streamline Desk Lamp, 1930s
Elegant Articulating Fratelli Martini Art Deco Streamline Desk Lamp, 1930s

Elegant Articulating Fratelli Martini Art Deco Streamline Desk Lamp, 1930s

Located in Niederdorfelden, Hessen

Elegant articulating Art Deco / Streamline desk lamp made in Europe in the 1930s. Beautiful ivory

Category

Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Koch & Lowy Polished Chrome Articulating Desk Light
Koch & Lowy Polished Chrome Articulating Desk Light

Koch & Lowy Polished Chrome Articulating Desk Light

By Koch & Lowy

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Modernist 1970s Koch & Lowy desk lamp in nickel/chrome finish. Articulates/pivots in several

Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Chrome

Desk lamp 1960s by Stilnovo
Desk lamp 1960s by Stilnovo

Desk lamp 1960s by Stilnovo

$675Sale Price|20% Off

Desk lamp 1960s by Stilnovo

By Stilnovo

Located in bari, IT

Articulating and swiveling desk lamp made of red lacquered metal 1960s production, attribuited to

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Articulated Desk Lamp for Dazor

Articulated Desk Lamp for Dazor

By Dazor

Located in Sagaponack, NY

A finely machined and articulating industrial under mount desk lamp crafted of thin-gauged

Category

Vintage 1930s North American Industrial Table Lamps

1950s Petite Wedge-Form Desk Lamp
1950s Petite Wedge-Form Desk Lamp

1950s Petite Wedge-Form Desk Lamp

By Jacques Biny

Located in Hanover, MA

Articulating petite desk lamp in form of a wedge shaped door stopper. Enameled brass shade on brass

Category

Vintage 1950s German Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Jumo model 900 desk lamp, articulated arm + adjustable reflector
Jumo model 900 desk lamp, articulated arm + adjustable reflector

Jumo model 900 desk lamp, articulated arm + adjustable reflector

Located in JOINVILLE-LE-PONT, FR

Pretty large desk lamp with articulating arm that allows you to adjust the direction of the light

Category

Vintage 1980s French Industrial Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Art Deco Machine Age Spun Aluminum Dual Bullet Desk Lamp 1940s
Art Deco Machine Age Spun Aluminum Dual Bullet Desk Lamp 1940s

Art Deco Machine Age Spun Aluminum Dual Bullet Desk Lamp 1940s

By Kurt Versen

Located in San Diego, CA

Machine age adjustable spun aluminum desk lamp. Fully articulating two bullet shades

Category

Vintage 1940s American Machine Age Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Brazilian Wood, Adjustable Desk Lamp, brass details, Mid Century Modern Style
Brazilian Wood, Adjustable Desk Lamp, brass details, Mid Century Modern Style

Brazilian Wood, Adjustable Desk Lamp, brass details, Mid Century Modern Style

By Atelier BAM

Located in Sao Paulo, SP

Inspired by the Brazilian Mid-century Modern style, this Articulable wood black and brass desk lamp

Category

2010s Brazilian Minimalist Table Lamps

Materials

Stone, Brass

Rare Mid Century Modern FIBERGLASS REFLECTOR DESK LAMP! BILL LAM STUDIO 1950s
Rare Mid Century Modern FIBERGLASS REFLECTOR DESK LAMP! BILL LAM STUDIO 1950s

Rare Mid Century Modern FIBERGLASS REFLECTOR DESK LAMP! BILL LAM STUDIO 1950s

By Bill Lam

Located in Peoria, AZ

A PURIST'S DREAM. MID CENTURY MODERN MOLDED FIBERGLASS ARTICULATING SHADE REFLECTOR DESK LAMP

Category

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

Materials

Metal

Chrome and White Metal Minimalist Desk Lamp by Designer Robert Sonneman, 1970s
Chrome and White Metal Minimalist Desk Lamp by Designer Robert Sonneman, 1970s

Chrome and White Metal Minimalist Desk Lamp by Designer Robert Sonneman, 1970s

By Robert Sonneman

Located in San Francisco, CA

A beautiful Mid-Century Modern / Minimalist articulating chrome & white metal desk lamp designed by

Category

Mid-20th Century American Minimalist Table Lamps

Materials

Chrome, Metal

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Articulating Desk Lamp For Sale on 1stDibs

With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the articulating desk lamp you’re looking for. Frequently made of metal, brass and steel, every articulating desk lamp was constructed with great care. There are 62 variations of the antique or vintage articulating desk lamp you’re looking for, while we also have 1 modern editions of this piece to choose from as well. You’ve searched high and low for the perfect articulating desk lamp — we have versions that date back to the 19th Century alongside those produced as recently as the 21st Century are available. Each articulating desk lamp bearing Mid-Century Modern, Industrial or Scandinavian Modern hallmarks is very popular. You’ll likely find more than one articulating desk lamp that is appealing in its simplicity, but Koch & Lowy, Gerald Thurston and Bausch & Lomb produced versions that are worth a look.

How Much is a Articulating Desk Lamp?

Prices for a articulating desk lamp start at $169 and top out at $6,400 with the average selling for $1,425.

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.

Questions About Articulating Desk Lamp
  • 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
    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.
  • 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.