Ceramic Lamp Chalkware
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Ceramic
Vintage 1950s American Hollywood Regency Table Lamps
Ceramic, Plaster, Fiberglass
Late 20th Century North American Post-Modern Table Lamps
Ceramic
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Ceramic
Vintage 1960s American Hollywood Regency Table Lamps
Ceramic, Plaster
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Ceramic
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Metal
People Also Browsed
2010s French Art Deco Table Lamps
Marble, Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Benches
Fabric, Velvet, Lacquer, Wood
Antique 18th Century Italian Paintings
Wood
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Metal
Vintage 1950s Table Lamps
Plaster
Vintage 1980s Chinoiserie Vases
Plaster, Paint
Antique Mid-19th Century French Mantel Clocks
Bronze, Enamel
Vintage 1950s American Table Lamps
Brass, Gold Leaf
Late 20th Century Table Lamps
Resin
2010s American Post-Modern Table Lamps
Stone
20th Century Table Lamps
Metal
20th Century American Figurative Sculptures
Plaster
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Plaster, String, Cotton
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Ceramic, Mahogany
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Plaster
Mid-20th Century Tibetan Table Lamps
Brass
Recent Sales
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Brass
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Ceramic
Vintage 1960s British Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Pottery
Vintage 1950s American Chinoiserie Table Lamps
Ceramic
Vintage 1960s American Hollywood Regency Table Lamps
Plaster, Ceramic
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century American Bohemian Figurative Sculptures
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Fabric, Teak, Ceramic
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Plaster
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.
- How do I clean Chalkware lamps?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022To clean Chalkware lamps, use a dry, soft microfiber cloth. Because chalkware does not have a glazed finish, you should never apply water or soap. On 1stDibs, you can shop a selection of Chalkware lamps from some of the world’s top sellers.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Yes, ceramic table lamps can be painted. In fact, many lamps come with hand-painted finishes. If you choose to paint a lamp yourself, you may need two or more coats of paint to get the results you desire. You'll find a collection of ceramic table lamps on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022To paint a ceramic lamp, most experts recommend using an acrylic paint that’s specially formulated for ceramics. However, other paints can work. Consult the paint brand’s website for more information about suitable surfaces. On 1stDibs, you’ll find a collection of vintage and modern ceramic lamps from some of the world’s top sellers.
Read More
You Don’t Need a Fictional Fairy to Get This Real Pinocchio Lamp
Warm chalet style meets cool Bauhaus functionality in Pietro Cascella’s cleverly carved creation.
Why Is Italy Such a Hotbed of Cool Design?
Patrizio Chiarparini of Brooklyn’s Duplex gallery sheds light on the lasting legacy of Italy’s postwar furniture boom.
With a High-Tech Flagship and Cool Collabs, Lladró Is Breaking the Mold for Porcelain Production
Thanks to its new leadership, the Spanish maker of figurines, busts and lighting is on a mission to update the art of porcelain for the 21st century.
Christopher Tennant’s Lamps and Dioramas Evoke Sunny Days and Seaside Locales
The former magazine editor blends elements of the Far East and America’s eastern shores, bringing wit and delight to his handmade, upcycled designs.
Paavo Tynell’s Snowflake Chandelier Warms Up Any Room
This circa 1950 piece by the legendary Finnish lighting designer spent the past several decades in a family's home in Michigan.
NASA Parachutes Inspired Lighting Designer Bec Brittain’s New Collection
In "Paraciphers," now on view at Emma Scully Gallery in New York, Brittain introduces works that were more than a decade in the making.
This Handsome Leather Pendant Light Is Crafted Using Saddle-Making Techniques
The Doma by L’Aviva Home nods to Colombia’s equestrian heritage.
Celebrate Spring Year-Round with This Lush Murano-Glass Chandelier
Hand-blown glass makes the Italian fixture glow like dew-covered leaves in the sun.