$3,520 / item
Little Tree Friend Desk Light by Marco Iannicelli
Located in Geneve, CH
Little Tree Friend Desk Light by Marco Iannicelli Dimensions: W 35-55 x L 35-55 x H 50-70 cm Materials: Wood.
Wood
$1,268 / item
Light Blue Asymptote Desk Light by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Light Blue Asymptote Desk Light by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 13.5 x H 22.7 cm. Materials: Powder-coated metal. Available in other colors. Please contact us. All our lamps can be ...
Metal
$2,091 / item
Orange Yellow Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Orange Yellow Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 16 x H 40.5 cm. Materials: Powder-coated metal. Available in other colors. Please contact us. All our lamps can be ...
Metal
$2,091 / item
Light Green Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Light Green Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 16 x H 40.5 cm. Materials: Powder-coated metal. Available in other colors. Please contact us. All our lamps can be wi...
Metal
$2,091 / item
Intense Yellow Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Intense Yellow Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 16 x H 40.5 cm. Materials: Powder-coated metal. Available in other colors. Please contact us. All our lamps can be...
Metal
$2,091 / item
Light Blue Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Light Blue Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 16 x H 40.5 cm. Materials: Powder-coated metal. Available in other colors. Please contact us. All our lamps can be wir...
Metal
$2,091 / item
Light Yellow Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Light Yellow Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 16 x H 40.5 cm. Materials: Powder-coated metal. Available in other colors. Please contact us. All our lamps can be w...
Metal
$2,091 / item
Intense Green Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Intense Green Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 16 x H 40.5 cm. Materials: Powder-coated metal. Available in other colors. Please contact us. All our lamps can be ...
Metal
$1,474 / item
Silver Brass Desk Light II by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Silver Brass Desk Light II by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 20.5 x H 49 cm. Materials: Brushed brass. Available in white, black, color, or brass. Available in cone up or cone down ver...
Brass
$2,091 / item
Light Yellow Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Light Yellow Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 12.3 x H 34.5 cm. Materials: Powder-coated metal, white glass. Available in other colors. Please contact us. All our...
Metal
$2,091 / item
Orange Yellow Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Orange Yellow Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 12.3 x H 34.5 cm. Materials: Powder-coated metal, white glass. Available in other colors. Please contact us. All ou...
Metal
$2,091 / item
Light Green Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Light Green Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 12.3 x H 34.5 cm. Materials: Powder-coated metal, white glass. Available in other colors. Please contact us. All our ...
Metal
$2,091 / item
Intense Yellow Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Intense Yellow Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 12.3 x H 34.5 cm. Materials: Powder-coated metal, white glass. Available in other colors. Please contact us. All o...
Metal
$2,091 / item
Light Blue Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Light Blue Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 12.3 x H 34.5 cm. Materials: Powder-coated metal, white glass. Available in other colors. Please contact us. All our l...
Metal
$2,091 / item
Intense Green Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Intense Green Profiles Desk Light by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 12.3 x H 34.5 cm. Materials: Powder-coated metal, white glass. Available in other colors. Please contact us. All ou...
Metal
$2,262 / item
Triangle Box Nickel Desk Light by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Triangle Box Nickel Desk Light by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 12 x W 15 x H 43 cm. Materials: Nickel, white acrylic panels. Available in nickel, black, or brass. All our lamps can ...
Nickel
$2,102 / item
Triangle Box Brass Desk Light by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Triangle Box Brass Desk Light by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 12 x W 15 x H 43 cm. Materials: Brushed brass, white acrylic panels. Available in nickel, black, or brass. All our lamp...
Brass
$1,165 / item
Structure and Globe Desk Light by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Structure and Globe Desk Light by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 20 x W 20 x H 40 cm. (Dimensions are approximate). Materials: Powder-coated metal, glass. Available in white or black. ...
Metal
$1,771 / item
Red and Green Off Center Desk Light by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Red and Green Off Center Desk Light by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 13.5 x H 43.2 cm. Materials: Powder-coated metal. Available in other colors. Please contact us. All our lamps can...
Metal
Adjustable Minimalistic Mid-Century Modern Desk Light by Gebrüder Cosack 1960s
By Gebrüder Cosack
Located in München, BY
Rare & Minimalistic Mid Century Modern desk light or table lamp. Adjustable height and lamp shade.
Metal, Aluminum, Nickel
Blue and Black Tube and Globe Desk Light by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Blue and Black Tube and Globe Desk Light by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 12 x H 37 cm. Materials: Powder-coated metal. Available in other colors. Please contact us. All our lamps ca...
Metal
Yellow Tube With Globes And Cones Desk Light, Globe, by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Yellow Tube With Globes And Cones Desk Light, Globe, by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 23.5 x H 37.5 cm. Materials: Powder-coated metal. Available in globe or cone versions. Available ...
Metal
Rare Christian Dell Two-Armed Bauhaus Desk Light 6660 for Kaiser Idell 1930s
By Kaiser Idell, Christian Dell
Located in München, BY
Designed by Christian Dell for Kaiser Idell, 1930s, Germany. Makers mark on the top of the each lamp shades.
Steel, Chrome
1950s Black Kaiser Idell Table Fixation Bauhaus Desk Light by Christian Dell
By Christian Dell, Kaiser Idell
Located in Kirchlengern, DE
Article: Desk light for table fixation model 6740 Producer: Kaiser Idell, Germany Design: Christian Dell (Bauhaus) Age: 1950s Description: Original...
Metal
Orange and Pink Tube With Globes And Cones Desk Light, Cone, by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Orange and Pink Tube With Globes And Cones Desk Light, Cone, by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 16 x H 40 cm. Materials: Powder-coated metal. Available in globe or cone versions. Availa...
Metal
Light Blue and Red Tube With Globes And Cones Desk Light, Cone, by Atelier Areti
Located in Geneve, CH
Light Blue and Red Tube With Globes And Cones Desk Light, Cone, by Atelier Areti Dimensions: D 16 x H 40 cm. Materials: Powder-coated metal. Available in globe or cone versions. Ava...
Metal
Grey Blue 2-Arm Metal Vintage Industrial Machinist Work Desk Light by Rademacher
By Ernst Rademacher
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Grey blue industrial 2-arm work light by Rademacher Adjustable in height and angle Including plug and switch Weight: 2.00 kg / 4.4 lb Priced per individual item. All lamps ha...
Metal, Enamel
Grey Blue 2-Arm Metal Vintage Industrial Machinist Work Desk Light by Rademacher
By Ernst Rademacher
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Grey blue industrial 2-arm work light by Rademacher adjustable in height and angle including plug and switch Weight: 2.00 kg / 4.4 lb Priced per individual item. All lamps ha...
Metal, Enamel
Mid-Century Modern Table Lamp by Riccardo Blumer, Italy, 1960
By Riccardo Blumer, Artemide
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
The company Artemide is well-known for their excellent design, for example the Tizio desk lamp designed by the German Industrial designer Richard Sapper.
Metal, Aluminum
Vintage Alfa Table Lamps by Sergio Mazza, Murano Glass, 1959-1960
By Sergio Mazza, Artemide
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
The company Artemide is well-known for their excellent design, for example the Tizio desk lamp designed by the German industrial designer Richard Sapper.
Metal, Brass
Enamel Shade Industrial Office Clamp Task Desk Lamp, 1950s, Germany
By Kaiser Leuchten
Located in Hagenbach, DE
Enamel Shade Industrial Office Clamp Task Desk Lamp, 1950s, Germany Lampshade is in very good vintage condition.
Metal, Enamel
$1,280Sale Price|20% Off
1970's German Design Swing Arm Mounted Desk Lamp by AEG
By AEG
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Vintage Midcentury Modern German Design Swing Arm Mounted Anglepoise Architects Lamp by AEG.
Metal
Bauhaus Early Modern Flex Wall / Desk Arm Sconce / Lamp #6716 by Christian Dell
By Kaiser Idell, Christian Dell
Located in New York, NY
A swing arm German Mid-Century / Early Modern Industrial wall arm sconce or desk flex arm light (Model # 6716) by Bauhaus Metal Workshop Director, Christian Dell for Kaiser Idell. ...
Metal
Antique table lamps became a category of their own once electricity moved light off the wall and onto furniture. The form split quickly: task-driven designs like the Anglepoise on one side, decorative ceramic and glass on the other.
Styles to Know
Base material shapes the light as much as the shade does: ceramic and glass diffuse a softer glow, while brass and metal read more directional. Layer the look with a mid-century modern floor lamp for ambient light, or set a pair on a mid-century modern nightstand for a bedroom.
How to Choose the Right Vintage Table Lamp
Buying individually rather than as a pair allows more flexibility when mixing eras across a room. For those shopping by name rather than by shape, the history of the Anglepoise lamp is worth a read. Each piece comes from a vetted 1stDibs seller, with era, designer and condition detailed, and the 1stDibs Promise stands behind every purchase.
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.
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