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Curt Fischer Task Lamps for Midgard, 1920
Curt Fischer Task Lamps for Midgard, 1920

Curt Fischer Task Lamps for Midgard, 1920

By Midgard, Curt Fischer

Located in Los Angeles, CA

wonderful 1920s articulating table-mounted desk lamps by Curt Fischer for Midgard in original grey

Category

Early 20th Century German Bauhaus Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Heifetz John Van Zwienen T-7-M MOMA Lamp Swing Arm 1951
Heifetz John Van Zwienen T-7-M MOMA Lamp Swing Arm 1951

Heifetz John Van Zwienen T-7-M MOMA Lamp Swing Arm 1951

By Heifetz

Located in Peoria, AZ

HEIFETZ MANUFACTURING, CO. 1951 MOMA LIGHTING COMPETITION ARTICULATING DESK/TABLE LAMP DESIGNER

Category

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

Materials

Brass, Metal

O.C. White Industrial Articulating Wall or Desk Mounted Lamp or Sconce
O.C. White Industrial Articulating Wall or Desk Mounted Lamp or Sconce

O.C. White Industrial Articulating Wall or Desk Mounted Lamp or Sconce

By O.C. White

Located in Atlanta, GA

Industrial articulating wall or desk mounted lamp, made by the O.C. White Company, American, circa

Category

Vintage 1910s American Industrial Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal, Iron

Pivot LED Desk or Table Lamp with Articulating Arms in Patinated Brass
Pivot LED Desk or Table Lamp with Articulating Arms in Patinated Brass

Pivot LED Desk or Table Lamp with Articulating Arms in Patinated Brass

By Christopher Gentner

Located in Chicago, IL

the single sconce, double sconce and desk lamp version and in both polished tarnished, darkened, hand

Category

2010s American Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Laurel-Style Articulating Desk Lamp, 1950s
Laurel-Style Articulating Desk Lamp, 1950s

Laurel-Style Articulating Desk Lamp, 1950s

By Laurel Lamp Company

Located in Los Angeles, CA

You'll find both form and function in this articulating desk lamp, in the style of Laurel, from the

Category

Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Aluminum, Brass

Wonderful Double Light Articulating Desk Lamp with Beautiful Shades
Wonderful Double Light Articulating Desk Lamp with Beautiful Shades

Wonderful Double Light Articulating Desk Lamp with Beautiful Shades

Located in Mount Penn, PA

A wonderful double light articulating desk lamp with beautiful resin shades, circa 1970. Good

Category

Late 20th Century American Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Amazing Articulating Desk Lamp in the Manner of Paavo Tynell, circa 1960
Amazing Articulating Desk Lamp in the Manner of Paavo Tynell, circa 1960

Amazing Articulating Desk Lamp in the Manner of Paavo Tynell, circa 1960

By Paavo Tynell

Located in Mount Penn, PA

An amazing articulating desk lamp with perforated shade in the style of Finnish designer Paavo

Category

Late 20th Century European Scandinavian Modern More Lighting

Stuart Barnes for Robert Long Desk Lamp
Stuart Barnes for Robert Long Desk Lamp

Stuart Barnes for Robert Long Desk Lamp

By Robert Long, Stuart Barnes

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Stuart Barnes for Robert Long articulating desk lamp from 1976.

Category

Vintage 1970s American Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

Italian Articulating Steel, Brass & Marble Desk Lamp by Raymor
Italian Articulating Steel, Brass & Marble Desk Lamp by Raymor

Italian Articulating Steel, Brass & Marble Desk Lamp by Raymor

By Raymor

Located in Los Angeles, CA

An exceptional 1950s Italian articulating desk lamp by Raymor. An alluring, elegant design with

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Marble, Brass, Steel

Machine Age Art Deco Mixed Metal Lighting Designs by Walter Von Nessen
Machine Age Art Deco Mixed Metal Lighting Designs by Walter Von Nessen

Machine Age Art Deco Mixed Metal Lighting Designs by Walter Von Nessen

By Walter Von Nessen, Miller Lamp Company, Chase Brass and Copper Company

Located in Dallas, TX

-hanging candle brackets and rare Miller Lamp Co. articulating desk lamp with removable flower pot. Pair

Category

Vintage 1930s American Art Deco Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Brass, Copper, Enamel, Steel

Black Desk Lamp 1940s Articulate
Black Desk Lamp 1940s Articulate

Black Desk Lamp 1940s Articulate

Located in Berkeley, CA

Metal black desk lamp, Bahaus style

Category

Vintage 1940s German Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Swedish 1950s Articulating Clamp-On Desk Lamp by ASEA
Swedish 1950s Articulating Clamp-On Desk Lamp by ASEA

Swedish 1950s Articulating Clamp-On Desk Lamp by ASEA

By ASEA

Located in Antwerp, BE

Simple yet elegant clamp on task lamp in greyish white. All details are designed to work perfectly

Category

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

Materials

Metal

Robert Sonneman Desk Lamp
Robert Sonneman Desk Lamp

Robert Sonneman Desk Lamp

By Robert Sonneman

Located in New London, CT

Articulating arm desk lamp on a wooden square base, adjusts by height and swivels for Directional

Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Chrome

Sonneman for Kovacs Desk Lamp
Sonneman for Kovacs Desk Lamp

Sonneman for Kovacs Desk Lamp

By Robert Sonneman

Located in Southampton, NY

An early articulating chrome and enameled metal desk lamp by Robert Sonneman for Kovacs.

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

M G Wheeler "Sight Light" Desk Lamp, circa 1950s
M G Wheeler "Sight Light" Desk Lamp, circa 1950s

M G Wheeler "Sight Light" Desk Lamp, circa 1950s

By M.G. Wheeler

Located in Austin, TX

Fully restored, Articulating Vintage Desk Lamp by M G Wheeler, commonly called a "Sight Light

Category

Vintage 1950s American Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Articulating Desk Lamp
Articulating Desk Lamp

Articulating Desk Lamp

Located in San Francisco, CA

Early Articulating Desk Lamp from the late 19th Century with green enamel shade and brass base.

Category

Antique 19th Century American Table Lamps

Materials

Brass, Iron, Enamel

French 1960’s articulating desk lamp
French 1960’s articulating desk lamp

French 1960’s articulating desk lamp

Located in London, GB

A French 1960’s white and black small articulating desk lamp. There are some minor rust marks to

Category

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

Materials

Metal

Articulating desk lamp by Jean-Louis Domecq
Articulating desk lamp by Jean-Louis Domecq

Articulating desk lamp by Jean-Louis Domecq

Located in Dallas, TX

Original 1950's Jielde "signal" articulating desk lamp with oversized base by Jean-Louis

Category

Vintage 1950s European Table Lamps

Early Gerald Thurston Articulating Desk Lamp
Early Gerald Thurston Articulating Desk Lamp

Early Gerald Thurston Articulating Desk Lamp

By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier

Located in New York, NY

Early Gerald Thurston Articulating Desk Lamp. Great desk lamp arm moves up down and turns side to

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Brass, Bronze

Art Deco Dualite Ritter Dental Mfg. Articulating Desk Lamp
Art Deco Dualite Ritter Dental Mfg. Articulating Desk Lamp

Art Deco Dualite Ritter Dental Mfg. Articulating Desk Lamp

Located in Houston, TX

Art Deco Dualite Ritter Dental Mfg. Articulating Desk Lamp Newly rewired and ready for use in your

Category

Early 20th Century American Art Deco Table Lamps

Materials

Copper, Steel

Articulating Desk Lamp by Charlotte Perriand, France, Circa 1950
Articulating Desk Lamp by Charlotte Perriand, France, Circa 1950

Articulating Desk Lamp by Charlotte Perriand, France, Circa 1950

By Charlotte Perriand

Located in Culver City, CA

Articulating desk lamp by Charlotte Perriand France Circa 1950 Produced by Jumo, with

Category

Mid-20th Century French Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

1950s Articulating Desk Lamp by Gilbert Watrous for Heifetz Lighting Co
1950s Articulating Desk Lamp by Gilbert Watrous for Heifetz Lighting Co

1950s Articulating Desk Lamp by Gilbert Watrous for Heifetz Lighting Co

By Gilbert Watrous

Located in Sagaponack, NY

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

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Mid-century brass articulating desk lamp by Koch and Lowy
Mid-century brass articulating desk lamp by Koch and Lowy

Mid-century brass articulating desk lamp by Koch and Lowy

By Koch & Lowy

Located in London, GB

Solid brass articulating desk lamp by Koch & Lowy. The design offers a pivoting shade and counter

Category

Vintage 1960s North American Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Green Articulating Desk Lamp
Green Articulating Desk Lamp

Green Articulating Desk Lamp

Located in San Francisco, CA

Early Articulating lamp with green enamel shade with iron base. Late 19th Century American made

Category

Antique 19th Century American Table Lamps

Materials

Brass, Iron, Enamel

ITALIAN ARTICULATING DESK LAMP
ITALIAN ARTICULATING DESK LAMP

ITALIAN ARTICULATING DESK LAMP

Located in Wargrave, Berkshire

Italian desk light with circular ridged marble base suporting brass stem with attached articulating

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Table Lamps

ITALIAN ARTICULATING DESK LAMP
ITALIAN ARTICULATING DESK LAMP

ITALIAN ARTICULATING DESK LAMP

Located in Wargrave, Berkshire

An interesting and rare lamp which has been published as by Nicolaj Diulgheroff an Italian avant

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Table Lamps

STILNOVO ARTICULATING DESK LAMP
STILNOVO ARTICULATING DESK LAMP

STILNOVO ARTICULATING DESK LAMP

Located in Wargrave, Berkshire

Table or desk lamp by Italian lighting manufacturer , Stilnovo . Two multi-positional perforated

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Table Lamps

ITALIAN ARTICULATING DESK LAMP
ITALIAN ARTICULATING DESK LAMP

ITALIAN ARTICULATING DESK LAMP

Located in Wargrave, Berkshire

Multi-positional Italian desk lamp , circular marble base with detailed switch , adjustable steel

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Table Lamps

Italian Articulating Desk Lamp
Italian Articulating Desk Lamp

Italian Articulating Desk Lamp

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Table mounted multi positional task lamp.

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Table Lamps

Materials

Chrome, Metal, Steel

Danish Enameled Articulating Desk Lamp
Danish Enameled Articulating Desk Lamp

Danish Enameled Articulating Desk Lamp

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Fantastic articulating Danish lamp. Easily adjusted thanks to the spring tension mechanism. Red

Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

White Luxo Articulating Desk Lamp
White Luxo Articulating Desk Lamp

White Luxo Articulating Desk Lamp

By Luxo

Located in Brooklyn, NY

A vintage cream/off-white Luxo desk lamp with a matching weighted metal base. Perfect for a desk

Category

Late 20th Century Scandinavian Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Italian 1950’s articulating desk lamp
Italian 1950’s articulating desk lamp

Italian 1950’s articulating desk lamp

By Stilnovo

Located in London, GB

A fabulous green enamel and brass articulating and adjustable desk lamp which can also be hung

Category

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

Materials

Brass, Enamel

Articulating Desk Lamp by Rico Baltensweiler
Articulating Desk Lamp by Rico Baltensweiler

Articulating Desk Lamp by Rico Baltensweiler

By Rosemarie & Rico Baltensweiler

Located in Dallas, TX

Articulating table lamp with push button on/off switch at the top of the head.

Category

Vintage 1950s Swiss Table Lamps

Koch and Lowy Articulating Desk Lamp
Koch and Lowy Articulating Desk Lamp

Koch and Lowy Articulating Desk Lamp

By Koch & Lowy

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

Unique chrome desk lamp by Koch and Lowy. Lamp rotates 360 degrees around the base. Adjustable knob

Category

Vintage 1960s American Table Lamps

Materials

Chrome

Vintage White Luxo Articulating Desk Lamp
Vintage White Luxo Articulating Desk Lamp

Vintage White Luxo Articulating Desk Lamp

By Luxo

Located in Brooklyn, NY

A vintage white Luxo desk lamp with a cream base. This design is similar to the Luxo L-1 lamp

Category

Mid-20th Century Scandinavian Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

GERALD ABRAMOVITZ , RARE ARTICULATING DESK LAMP
GERALD ABRAMOVITZ , RARE ARTICULATING DESK LAMP

GERALD ABRAMOVITZ , RARE ARTICULATING DESK LAMP

Located in Wargrave, Berkshire

Gerald Abramovitz for Best and Lloyd U.K. 1961 , a steel and aluminium "Cantilever" desk lamp , a

Category

Vintage 1960s Table Lamps

Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Articulating Desk Lamp
Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Articulating Desk Lamp

Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Articulating Desk Lamp

By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Mid-Century Modern, desk lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier features an articulating, 12 inch

Category

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

Materials

Aluminum, Brass

Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Articulating Desk Lamp
Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Articulating Desk Lamp

Mid-Century Modern Lightolier Articulating Desk Lamp

By Lightolier

Located in Cordova, SC

Super cool vintage Lightolier desk lamp. It’s perfect for the mid-century modern office! Sleek

Category

Vintage 1970s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Scandinavian Modern Black Articulating Desk Lamp by Ledu
Scandinavian Modern Black Articulating Desk Lamp by Ledu

Scandinavian Modern Black Articulating Desk Lamp by Ledu

Located in Brooklyn, NY

A vintage ledu adjustable desk lamp with black base, stem, and shade and chrome accents. A similar

Category

Late 20th Century Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Midcentury Modern Koch & Lowy Style Chrome Articulating Desk Lamp
Midcentury Modern Koch & Lowy Style Chrome Articulating Desk Lamp

Midcentury Modern Koch & Lowy Style Chrome Articulating Desk Lamp

By Koch & Lowy

Located in Chicago, IL

An elegant midcentury desk lamp in polished chrome in the style of Koch & Lowy; the tent shade

Category

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

Materials

Chrome

Tito Agnoli Desk Lamp
Tito Agnoli Desk Lamp

Tito Agnoli Desk Lamp

By Oluce

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Six articulating desk lamps produced by Oluce. Literature: Giuliana Weeden, Repertoire of Italian

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Brass

Midcentury Desk Lamp with Black Leather
Midcentury Desk Lamp with Black Leather

Midcentury Desk Lamp with Black Leather

Located in New York, NY

A single circa 1950's Italian leather-stitched articulating desk lamp with weighted base

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Table Lamps

Materials

Leather

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

Mid-Century Modern Desk Lamp
Mid-Century Modern Desk Lamp

Mid-Century Modern Desk Lamp

Located in San Francisco, CA

Mid-Century Modern brass and enamel articulating desk lamp. Interesting design that pivots, and

Category

Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Marcel Breuer Articulating Table Lamp
Marcel Breuer Articulating Table Lamp

Marcel Breuer Articulating Table Lamp

By Marcel Breuer

Located in New York, NY

Bauhaus Articulating desk lamp by Marcel Breuer. Designed for the International Exposition of

Category

Vintage 1920s German Bauhaus Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze, Nickel

Cedric Hartman Table Lamp
Cedric Hartman Table Lamp

Cedric Hartman Table Lamp

By Cedric Hartman

Located in Dallas, TX

A chrome plated articulating desk lamp designed by Cedric Hartman.

Category

Vintage 1970s Table Lamps

Materials

Chrome

Vintage Tan Tensor Folding Desk Lamp
Vintage Tan Tensor Folding Desk Lamp

Vintage Tan Tensor Folding Desk Lamp

By Tensor

Located in Brooklyn, NY

A perfect Mid-Century Modern Tensor articulating desk lamp. Tan textured base and shade, chrome

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Charlotte Perriand Table Lamp
Charlotte Perriand Table Lamp

Charlotte Perriand Table Lamp

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Articulating Desk Lamp Chromed metal, Enameled Black Metal Shade and weighted base.

Category

Vintage 1930s French Table Lamps

Materials

Chrome, Steel

Brass Library Lamp
Brass Library Lamp

Brass Library Lamp

Located in Culver City, CA

Unique articulating desk lamp with ornate finials and frosted glass shades with etched floral motif.

Category

Early 20th Century French Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Charlotte Perriand Table Lamp
Charlotte Perriand Table Lamp

Charlotte Perriand Table Lamp

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Articulating Desk Lamp with Wood and Chromed Metal weighted base and Enameled Metal Shade.

Category

Vintage 1930s French Table Lamps

Materials

Chrome, Metal

Vintage Black Tensor IL 400 Folding Desk Lamp
Vintage Black Tensor IL 400 Folding Desk Lamp

Vintage Black Tensor IL 400 Folding Desk Lamp

By Tensor

Located in Brooklyn, NY

A perfect mid-century modern Tensor IL 400 articulating desk lamp. Black base and shade, chrome

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Chrome

Vintage Chrome Tensor IL 400 Folding Desk Lamp
Vintage Chrome Tensor IL 400 Folding Desk Lamp

Vintage Chrome Tensor IL 400 Folding Desk Lamp

By Tensor

Located in Brooklyn, NY

A perfect mid-century modern Tensor articulating desk lamp with a chrome shade, chrome stem, and

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Chrome

Vintage Black and Chrome Tensor Gooseneck Desk Lamp
Vintage Black and Chrome Tensor Gooseneck Desk Lamp

Vintage Black and Chrome Tensor Gooseneck Desk Lamp

By Tensor

Located in Brooklyn, NY

A perfect mid-century modern Tensor articulating desk lamp with a black textured shade, chrome

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Chrome

1970's TAK Lamp by Robert Sonneman Associates
1970's TAK Lamp by Robert Sonneman Associates

1970's TAK Lamp by Robert Sonneman Associates

Located in Hanover, MA

Articulating desk lamp designed by Robert Sonneman for Robert Sonneman Associates, Inc. Label on

Category

Vintage 1970s Japanese Table Lamps

Materials

Plastic

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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.