Foster Pullen
Antique 19th Century British British Colonial Wall Lights and Sconces
Copper, Wrought Iron
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Chandeliers and Pendants
Copper
Recent Sales
Antique 1860s English High Victorian Lanterns
Copper
Antique Late 19th Century British Victorian Lanterns
Copper
Antique Mid-19th Century British Lanterns
Copper
Early 20th Century British Victorian Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass, Copper
Early 20th Century English Lanterns
Copper
20th Century English Lanterns
Copper
Antique Mid-19th Century English Lanterns
Copper
Antique Late 19th Century British Victorian Lanterns
Copper
Early 20th Century French Lanterns
Copper
Vintage 1930s English Lanterns
Copper
Antique 19th Century English Lanterns
Copper
Antique 19th Century American Victorian Lanterns
Antique 19th Century English Victorian Lanterns
Copper
Antique 19th Century English Lanterns
Copper, Brass
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Mid-20th Century European Industrial Nautical Objects
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Club Chairs
Cotton, Linen, Foam, Wood
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
Antique 19th Century Italian Empire Armchairs
Velvet, Mahogany
2010s Italian Chandeliers and Pendants
Textile, Rattan
Antique Late 19th Century American Victorian Benches
Enamel, Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1930s Chinese Art Deco Chinese and East Asian Rugs
Wool
2010s Indian Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass
2010s American Organic Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Aluminum, Brass
Early 2000s French Post-Modern Sectional Sofas
Fabric
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Living Room Sets
Fabric
2010s Canadian Modern Dining Room Chairs
Fabric, Maple
20th Century Swedish Books
Paper
Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Leather, Oak
2010s Danish Scandinavian Modern Dining Room Chairs
Leather, Walnut, Foam
Materials: Copper Furniture
From cupolas to cookware and fine art to filaments, copper metal has been used in so many ways since prehistoric times. Today, antique, new and vintage copper coffee tables, mirrors, lamps and other furniture and decor can bring a warm metallic flourish to interiors of any kind.
In years spanning 8,700 BC (the time of the first-known copper pendant) until roughly 3,700 BC, it may have been the only metal people knew how to manipulate.
Valuable deposits of copper were first extracted on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus around 4,000 BC — well before Europe’s actual Bronze Age (copper + tin = bronze). Tiny Cyprus is even credited with supplying all of Egypt and the Near East with copper for the production of sophisticated currency, weaponry, jewelry and decorative items.
In the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, master painters such as Leonardo da Vinci, El Greco, Rembrandt and Jan Brueghel created fine works on copper. (Back then, copper-based pigments, too, were all the rage.) By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, decorative items like bas-relief plaques, trays and jewelry produced during the Art Deco, Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau periods espoused copper. These became highly valuable and collectible pieces and remain so today.
Copper’s beauty, malleability, conductivity and versatility make it perhaps the most coveted nonprecious metal in existence. In interiors, polished copper begets an understated luxuriousness, and its reflectivity casts bright, golden and earthy warmth seldom realized in brass or bronze. (Just ask Tom Dixon.)
Outdoors, its most celebrated attribute — the verdigris patina it slowly develops from exposure to oxygen and other elements — isn’t the only hue it takes. Architects often refer to shades of copper as russet, ebony, plum and even chocolate brown. And Frank Lloyd Wright, Renzo Piano and Michael Graves have each used copper in their building projects.
Find antique, new and vintage copper furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
Finding the Right Lanterns for You
Whether you’re in search of a functional fixture to help illuminate a room or just a minimalist ornamental touch, the choice of lighting is important. Selecting the perfect vintage, new or antique lanterns can transform an otherwise monotonous space in your home.
In the 1700s, lanterns became widely popular when accessibility broadened for whale oil, as fuel for lamps was one of its earliest uses. Lantern design evolved considerably during the mid- to late 19th century, when a powerful, adaptable fuel came into play: kerosene. Portable and immediately sought after, kerosene lamps were traditionally surrounded by a glass globe or tube that sat on a metal frame to protect the flame from spreading or extinguishing. (While reproductions abound, antique kerosene lanterns have since become collector's items.)
Later, in 1862, John H. Irwin created coil oil lamps, which were designed for coal oils as well as kerosene and lessened the risk of fire. They required plentiful oxygen to remain lit, and with refinements, the lamps could be used indoors. Lanterns increasingly came to be part of commercial spaces such as museums and theaters, and over time, lighting artisans worked to refine and perfect these innovative fixtures so that they weren’t only practical but also elegant, sophisticated additions to home decor.
Antiques inject a touch of classical chic into any space. With the right lantern, you could also deepen the impact of the collection of vases and vessels, sculptures or other decorative objects in a living room or dining room. It’s essential to find a balance between utility and aesthetics when choosing the perfect vintage–style lantern for your space, and the right lighting decisions can determine the underlying mood of a room as well as enhance the choices you’ve made for your home’s decor. While old-time charm is something to be cherished, there is lots to love in modern lanterns from today’s top furniture designers.
On 1stDibs, search by creator to find lanterns crafted by the likes of Woka Lamps, Barovier & Toso and Material Lust or browse the collection by style. From today’s standouts to mid-century modern classics to Art Deco–era innovations, find the best vintage, new or antique lantern for you now.
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