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Desk Lamp Ostuni

Giuseppe Ostuni Oluce Desk Lamp #223
By Giuseppe Ostuni
Located in Montréal, QC
Rare Giuseppe Ostuni Oluce desk lamp #223 made in Italy. Lacquered aluminium shade, brass stem and
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Brass, Enamel

Very Rare Giuseppe Ostuni Desk Lamp by Oluce
By Giuseppe Ostuni
Located in Munich, DE
All original condition with wonderful details.
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Angelo Ostuni and Renato Forti for O-Luce '201' Floor or Table Lamp in Red
By O-Luce, Angelo Ostuni, Renato Forti
Located in Waalwijk, NL
enables its utilization as a floor lamp or desk lamp. Ostuni’s first models created between 1946 and 1948
Category

Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Brass, Iron

Giuseppe Ostuni 292-R Desk Clamp Lamp Italy 1950
By Giuseppe Ostuni, Oluce
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Very rare desk clamp lamp model 292-r designed by Giuseppe Ostuni and manufactured by Oluce, Italy
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Metal

Mod.243 Desk Lamp by Angelo Ostuni & Roberto Forti for Oluce, 1950s
By Angelo Ostuni, Oluce
Located in Brussels , BE
Mod.243 desk lamp by Angelo Ostuni & Roberto Forti for Oluce, 1950s.
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Angelo Ostuni , Renarto Forti & Giuseppe Ostuni for Oluce , Italy 1958 .
By Angelo Ostuni
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
desk lamp of a very simple design yet so effective in terms of adaptability . A single lever at the
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Vintage Chrome-Plated Brass Desk Lamp attr. to Giuseppe Ostuni for O-Luce, Italy
By Giuseppe Ostuni, O-Luce
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
Made in Italy, 1960s. This table lamp is made in chrome-plated brass. With its fine system of
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Minimalist Table Lamps

Materials

Brass, Chrome

Rare Italian Desk Lamp, circa 1950
By Giuseppe Ostuni, Arteluce, O-Luce, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Vienna, AT
Rare Italian desk lamp, circa 1950. Very unique tripod design with a lacquered and pierced aluminum
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Brass

Rare Italian Desk Lamp, circa 1950
Rare Italian Desk Lamp, circa 1950
H 10.24 in W 9.85 in D 7.88 in
Tito Agnoli, Desk Lamp, Model No. 253 for O'Luce Italy, circa 1960
By Oluce, Tito Agnoli
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
Tito Agnoli, Modello 253 desk or table lamp, designed 1958 and produced around 1960 by O'Luce
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass, Iron

Giuseppe Ostuni for O-Luce '181' Multi Applicable Light
By O-Luce, Giuseppe Ostuni
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Ostuni is applicable in many different ways. Attach the lamp to a desk or a table and use it as a
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

Giuseppe Ostuni for O-Luce '181' Multi Applicable Lights
By O-Luce, Giuseppe Ostuni
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giuseppe Ostuni for O-Luce, large set of '181' wall lamps, Italy, 1950s This large set of wall
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Metal

Marco Zanuso Table Lamp 'Zanuso' White by Oluce
By Oluce
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
conceived for use as a desk lamp. However, its purpose was not intended as an operational lamp, but rather
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Marco Zanuso Table Lamp 'Zanuso' White by Oluce
Marco Zanuso Table Lamp 'Zanuso' White by Oluce
H 15.75 in W 16.54 in D 16.54 in
Marco Zanuso Table Lamp 'Zanuso' White by Oluce
By Marco Zanuso, Oluce
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
conceived for use as a desk lamp. However, its purpose was not intended as an operational lamp, but rather
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Marco Zanuso Table Lamp 'Zanuso' White by Oluce
Marco Zanuso Table Lamp 'Zanuso' White by Oluce
H 15.75 in W 16.54 in D 16.54 in
Marco Zanuso Table Lamp 'Zanuso' White by Oluce
By Marco Zanuso, Oluce
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
conceived for use as a desk lamp. However, its purpose was not intended as an operational lamp, but rather
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Marco Zanuso Table Lamp 'Zanuso' White by Oluce
Marco Zanuso Table Lamp 'Zanuso' White by Oluce
H 15.75 in W 16.54 in D 16.54 in
Swedish 1950's Table or Wall Mounted Lamp
Located in Hanover, MA
Versatile lighting creation often mid-attributed to Giuseppe Ostuni for Oluce or Boris LaCroix
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Brass

Joe Colombo Spider Arc Lamp by O-Luce, 1967
By Joe Colombo
Located in Dronten, NL
tilt. This arc desk task Spider lamp is clamped to a table or other surface. It comes from the first
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Joe Colombo Spider Arc Lamp by O-Luce, 1967
Joe Colombo Spider Arc Lamp by O-Luce, 1967
H 50.01 in W 32.29 in D 5.52 in
Tito Agnoli for O-Luce Table Lamps in Black and White Perspex
By Tito Agnoli, O-Luce
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Tito Agnoli for O-luce, desk lamps, model ‘267’, Perspex, brass, enameled steel, Italy, 1960
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass, Steel, Enamel

Mid Century Modern White Table Lamp 'Zanuso' White by Marco Zanuso for Oluce
By Oluce
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
use as a desk lamp. However, its purpose was not intended as an operational lamp, but rather to
Category

2010s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Tri-Pod Wall or Table Lamp by Falkenbergs Belysning
By O-Luce, Giuseppe Ostuni
Located in Hanover, MA
Another charming anthropomorphic early 1950's Swedish lamp with versatility either to hang on a
Category

Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Brass, Aluminum

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Chandelier of Brass and Murano Glass Venini 1950.
By Venini
Located in Milano, IT
Chandelier Venini model Tony Zuccheri Murano glass, 1950.
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Vintage 1950s Italian Other Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Glass

Tito Agnoli O-Luce Mid-Century Table Lamp, Italy, 1954
By Tito Agnoli, Oluce
Located in Vienna, AT
A beautiful clamp lamp, designed by Tito Agnoli in 1954, manufactured by O-Luce Italy in the late 1960s. Nickel-plated metal, in very good condition with marginal patina. Adjustable ...
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Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

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Conogó Partition Screen in Hardwood, Brazilian Contemporary Design
By Noemi Saga Atelier
Located in Sao Paulo, BR
This contemporary styled partition screen or room divider is made of sucupira hardwood. Named the Conogó, this partition screen is art–furniture. The constructive and aesthetic ins...
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21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Modern Screens and Room Dividers

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Mid-Century Space Age Design Rocket Floor Lamp by Novoplast Czechoslovakia 1950s
Located in Oud-Turnhout, VAN
Vintage midcentury Space Age Design ROCKET floor lamp by Novoplast. Made in Czechoslovakia, 1950's / 60's. Yellow fiber plastic shade with wooden tripod legs. Original condition with...
Category

Vintage 1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Fiberglass, Teak

Huge Squatty Drip Glaze Lamp Mid-century Danish Modern
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Over the top gorgeous huge squatty lava drip glaze lamp. This is one gigantic colorful piece of art that is also a fabulous lamp! I love this piece so much i had to own one for mysel...
Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Nuno Sconce or Wall Lamp Lighting in Contemporary Geometric Brazilian Design
By Noemi Saga Atelier
Located in Sao Paulo, BR
This wall lamp or sconce integrates into the Nuno lamp family, which finishing treatment was inspired by Shou sugi ban or Yakisugi, a Japanese ancient technique of wood burning, used...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Other Wall Lights and Sconces

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Wood

Nuno Pendant Lamp or Dining Table Lamp, Brazilian Contemporary Styled Lighting
By Noemi Saga Atelier
Located in Sao Paulo, BR
Nuno is a pendant lamp of simple geometric shapes. Plans and reflector’s cutouts were inspired by origami, concretism and brutalism. The finishing treatment was inspired by Shou sugi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Other Chandeliers and Pendants

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Wood

Large Table Lamp Model 879 by Pia Guidetti Crippa for Lumi, Italy, 1960s
By Lumi, Pia Guidetti Crippa
Located in Milan, IT
Large table lamp model 879 by Pia Guidetti Crippa for Lumi. Base and shade lights can work separately.  
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum

Floor Lamp by Lumi, 1968 Milano
By Lumi
Located in Lucca, IT
Floor lamp produced by Lumi in 1968, with a plated steel and opaque Murano glass globe. The Floor Lamp Italy Mi-Century Modern is original and in good condindition, very nice.
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Steel

Floor Lamp by Lumi, 1968 Milano
Floor Lamp by Lumi, 1968 Milano
H 61.03 in Dm 23.63 in
Floor Lamp by Kaiser Leuchten, Germany 1980s
By Kaiser Leuchten
Located in Oud Beijerland, NL
A beautiful Midcentury floor lamp made by Kaiser Leuchten in Germany in the 1980's. It is fascinating with its Space Age design and nine arms with milk glass balls. The bottom, t...
Category

Vintage 1980s German Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Metal

Stilnovo Floor Lamp with Marble Base, Italy, 1950
By Stilnovo
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Very nice and typical Italian shaped floor lamp by Stilnovo, Italy, 1950. The base has a round brown marble base and a brass arm with weight for the balance. The shade is originally ...
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Marble, Aluminum, Brass

1954, Coen de Vries for Devo Wooden Writing Desk with Red Drawer and Formica Top
By Wim Rietveld
Located in Amsterdam IJMuiden, NL
This item is part of the private collection of Casey Godrie and is situated in his private house. Ask him for competitive shipping quotes. His incredible Dune Villa, Amsterdam Beach...
Category

Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables

Materials

Formica, Wood, Paint

Minimalist Square Dining Table in Brazilian Hardwood
By Atelier BAM
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
Handcrafted Square Brazilian hardwood dining table. The lightness of its design involves a precise and rigorous work, thorough knowledge of materials and manufacturing tools. The w...
Category

2010s Brazilian Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Tables

Materials

Hardwood

Contemporary Brazilian Table Lamp made of brass
By Atelier BAM
Located in Sao Paulo, SP
Brass Table lamp Nitens is part of a collection design for Contemporary Brazilian lighting brand Bertolucci. Inspired by the Brazilian technical craft of “Capim Dourado”, the scienti...
Category

2010s Brazilian Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Brass

Handcrafted Hanging Lantern Lamp in Brazilian Contemporary Design
By Noemi Saga Atelier
Located in Sao Paulo, BR
Named the 'Hermit' this handcrafted lamp can be taken to where more light is needed. Its design allows it to be carried as a lantern by the rooms and used as a table and floor lamp....
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Brazilian Other Table Lamps

Materials

Wood

VeArt 1980s Cone Vase Table Lamp
By VeArt
Located in New York, NY
A signed VeArt Venezia green over white case glass with black accent cone vase or table lamp from 1983 in the Menphis style.
Category

Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Blown Glass

Recent Sales

1950s Silver Metal Desk Lamp by Tito Agnoli 'C'
By Gino Sarfatti, O-Luce, Tito Agnoli
Located in Frankfurt, Hessen, DE
Desk Lamp, nickel plated metal, Tito Agnoli, Italy, 1955. This desk lamp was created from the
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

1950s Silver Metal Desk Lamp by Tito Agnoli 'd'
By O-Luce, Tito Agnoli, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Frankfurt, Hessen, DE
Desk lamp, nickel-plated metal, Tito Agnoli, Italy, 1955. This desk lamp was created from the
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Pair of Swedish 1950s Table or Wall-Mounted Lamps
By Jean Boris Lacroix
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Versatile lighting creation often mid-attributed to Giuseppe Ostuni for O-Luce or Boris LaCroix
Category

Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Brass

Pair of Swedish 1950s Table or Wall-Mounted Lamps
Pair of Swedish 1950s Table or Wall-Mounted Lamps
Free Shipping
H 9.45 in W 5.91 in D 5.91 in
Giuseppe Ostuni Desk Lamp
By Giuseppe Ostuni
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
A rare desk lamp by Giuseppe Ostuni for Oluce, Italy, model 295, circa 1950. Heavy cast base
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Giuseppe Ostuni Desk Lamp
Giuseppe Ostuni Desk Lamp
H 12.6 in W 12.6 in D 3.94 in
Giuseppe Ostuni for Oluce, Table or Desk Lamp for Oluce, 1950s
By Giuseppe Ostuni
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
Giuseppe Ostuni designed for Oluce, Italy, circa 1950. An all original Ochetta desk or table lamp
Category

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

Angelo Ostuni & Roberto Forti for Oluce, Italy, All Original 1950's Desk Lamp
By Angelo Ostuni
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
Angelo Ostuni and Roberto Forti for Oluce, Italy, Model 243 desk or table lamp with cream metal
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Floor/Table Lamp by Giuseppe Ostuni for Oluce
By Oluce, Giuseppe Ostuni
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Articulating shade and height adjustable floor Lamp by Giuseppe Ostuni for Oluce. Stem telescopes
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Nickel

1950s Italian Telescoping Floor or Desk Lamp by Giuseppe Ostuni for O-Luce
By O-Luce, Giuseppe Ostuni
Located in Sagaponack, NY
An early telescoping floor / desk lamp with a pivoting cone shaped shade on a brass and enameled
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Steel

Pair of 1950's 'Ochetta' Table / Desk / Wall Lamps by Giuseppe Ostuni for O-Luce
By O-Luce, Giuseppe Ostuni
Located in Little Burstead, Essex
A really beautiful little pair of adjustable lamps, designed by Giuseppe Ostuni for the Italian
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Brass

GUISEPPE OSTUNI ; EARLY DESK LAMP FOR O-LUCE
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
Guiseppe Ostuni for O-Luce , stunning 1950's desk lamp , circular shade rotates and arm pivots and
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Table Lamps

GUISEPPE OSTUNI ; EARLY DESK LAMP FOR O-LUCE
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
Guiseppe Ostuni for O-Luce , stunning 1950's desk lamp , circular shade rotates and arm pivots and
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Table Lamps

ANGELO OSTUNI FOR O-LUCE ; FLOOR / DESK LAMP ; LABELLED
Located in Wargrave, Berkshire
Ingenious Italian lamp by Angelo Ostuni for O-Luce of Milan which converts from a floor to desk
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Floor Lamps

Pair of Desk or Table Clamp Lamps by Giuseppe Ostuni for O-Luce
By O-Luce
Located in Berlin, DE
Beautiful set of a red and white original condition Giuseppe Ostuni Lamps for O-Luce, Italy, 1950s.
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Pair of Ochetta Desk/Wall Lights by Giuseppe Ostuni for O-Luce
By O-Luce, Giuseppe Ostuni
Located in Little Burstead, Essex
A beautiful original pair of these much sought after lamps in dark red, totally original and
Category

Vintage 1940s Danish Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces

Materials

Brass

Pair of Ochetta Desk/Wall Lights by Giuseppe Ostuni for O-Luce
Pair of Ochetta Desk/Wall Lights by Giuseppe Ostuni for O-Luce
Free Shipping
H 9.06 in W 11.42 in D 5.91 in
Small Italian desk lamp attributed to Ostuni for O’Luce
By Giuseppe Ostuni
Located in London, GB
Small Italian gilt metal desk lamp attributed to Ostuni for O’Luce. Rewired. Original paintwork.
Category

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

Materials

Brass, Enamel

Giuseppe Ostuni for Oluce, Table or Desk Lamp for Oluce, 1950s
By Oluce, Giuseppe Ostuni
Located in Brussels, BE
Giuseppe Ostuni for Oluce, table or desk lamp for Oluce, 1950s.
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Mid Century Desk Clamp Lamp in Brass & Metal by Giuseppe Ostuni, Italy, 1950s
By Oluce, Giuseppe Ostuni
Located in La Teste De Buch, FR
Mid-Century Modern desk clamp lamp Italy 1950s Brass, lacquered metal and lacquered aluminum
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Aluminum, Brass

Black and Brass Desk Lamp Attributed to Giuseppe Ostuni for O-Luce, Italy, 1950s
By Giuseppe Ostuni, O-Luce
Located in London, GB
Brass table or desk lamp, with black shade and base, attributed to Giuseppe Ostuni for O-Luce (or
Category

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

Materials

Metal, Brass

Giuseppe Ostuni, Small Adjustable Table Lamp, Brass, O-Luce, Italy, 1950s
By Giuseppe Ostuni, O-Luce
Located in High Point, NC
A small adjustable table lamp / desk light. Designed by Guiseppe Ostuni and produced by O-Luce
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Italian Patinated Brass Desk Light, circa 1950
By Giuseppe Ostuni
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Table lamp, brass, white coated metal, Italy, circa 1950. This wonderful curved brass desk light
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Italian Patinated Brass Desk Light, circa 1950
Italian Patinated Brass Desk Light, circa 1950
H 11.42 in W 11.03 in D 7.49 in
Italian Patinated Brass Desk Light, circa 1950
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Table lamp, in brass, green-coated metal, Italy, circa 1950. This wonderful curved brass desk
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Italian Patinated Brass Desk Light, circa 1950
Italian Patinated Brass Desk Light, circa 1950
H 14.97 in W 14.18 in D 7.49 in
Set of Three Scandinavian Mid-Century Table Lamps
Located in Berlin, DE
Stand which can either mount to a wall or sit on your desk. To be on the safe side, the lamp should be
Category

Vintage 1950s Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Brass

1950's Italian Telescoping Desk/ Floor Lamp by Ostuni
By Angelo Ostuni
Located in Hudson, NY
easily to any position and can be used an a desk or floor lamp. finished in its original chromed steel
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Chrome, Steel

Giuseppe Ostuni Type 201 for Oluce
By Giuseppe Ostuni
Located in Brugge, BE
Ostuni Type 201 desk or floorlamp. Extendable arm with three positions. Marked 'Made in Italy
Category

Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Giuseppe Ostuni Type 201 for Oluce
Giuseppe Ostuni Type 201 for Oluce
H 59.85 in W 7.09 in D 10.63 in
Articulated telescopic floor lamp by Angelo Ostuni
Located in London, GB
Articualted and versatile telescopic desk and floor lamp. Lamp is on a pivotable base. Brass and
Category

20th Century Italian Floor Lamps

Scandinavian Mid Century Table Lamp
By Stilnovo, Giuseppe Ostuni, Jean Boris Lacroix
Located in Antwerp, BE
Versatile lighting creation often mid-attributed to Giuseppe Ostuni for Oluce or Boris LaCroix
Category

20th Century Swedish Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Fab Set Of 3 Scandinavian Mid Century Tablelamps
By Stilnovo, Arredoluce, Jean Boris Lacroix
Located in Antwerp, BE
Versatile lighting creation often mid-attributed to Giuseppe Ostuni for Oluce or Boris LaCroix
Category

Vintage 1950s Swedish Table Lamps

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Desk Lamp Ostuni For Sale on 1stDibs

At 1stDibs, there are many versions of the ideal desk lamp ostuni for your home. Each desk lamp ostuni for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using metal, brass and aluminum. There are many kinds of the desk lamp ostuni you’re looking for, from those produced as long ago as the 20th Century to those made as recently as the 20th Century. When you’re browsing for the right desk lamp ostuni, those designed in Mid-Century Modern styles are of considerable interest. A well-made desk lamp ostuni has long been a part of the offerings for many furniture designers and manufacturers, but those produced by Giuseppe Ostuni, O-Luce and Oluce are consistently popular.

How Much is a Desk Lamp Ostuni?

Prices for a desk lamp ostuni can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $1,772 and can go as high as $11,500, while the average can fetch as much as $3,400.

A Close Look at Mid-Century Modern Furniture

Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.

ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS

VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.

Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively. 

Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer

Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.

The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by legendary manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.

As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture designers caught the spirit.

Classically oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb, who designed holistic groups of sleek, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.

As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.

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 Desk Lamp Ostuni
  • 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 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 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 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
    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.
  • 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.