$14,000
H 30.25 in Dm 19 in
French Neoclassical Gilt Lacquered Brass and Glass Oval Four-Light Lantern
Located in New York, NY
The top surmounted by four scrolling volutes. Elegant form and substantial size.
Brass
French Neoclassical Hanging Lantern
By Loyzaga
Located in Mexico, Ciudad de México
French Neoclassical six light lantern in brass with pinecone details on the bottom. Available in
Brass
$2,018
H 18.12 in W 9.06 in D 4.34 in
Pair of French Neoclassical Style Brass and Glass Two-Light Wall Lanterns
Located in Barntrup, DE
An adorable pair of French Neoclassical-style wall lanterns. These elegant wall lamps feature a
Brass
Pair of French Brass Neoclassical Style Three-Light Hanging Lanterns
Located in Atlanta, GA
Pair of circular form and hanging from a ring and scroll supports, the original glass enclosing a cluster of three lights, the bottom with small round "feet" and a matching ring.
Brass
Italian Neoclassical Style Green Painted Tole 3-Light Hanging Lantern
Located in Atlanta, GA
of hexagonal form and having a vent finial, hanging from antique chain and canopy, the upper section with foliate scrollwork above centered masks, the bottom section tapering to foli...
French 19th Century Iron and Gilt-Brass Single-Light Lantern
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
This French 19th century iron and gilt-brass single-light lantern has been professionally rewired
Iron, Brass
Sold
H 24 in W 12 in D 12 in
Pair of Mid-Century French Polygon Beveled Glass Three-Light Brass Lanterns
Located in Dallas, TX
Illuminate your hallway with this pair of of brass lantern fixtures. Crafted in France circa 1960
Brass
Outstanding French Doré Bronze Four-Light Neoclassical Curved Glass Lantern
Located in Roslyn, NY
This unusual octagon 4 light lantern decorated with beautiful original convex glass panels, each
Glass
Sold
H 32.68 in W 11.42 in D 9.06 in
Neoclassical Style Brass and Glass Three-Light Hanging Hall Lantern
Located in Barntrup, DE
Beautiful French mid-20th century neoclassical style three-light interior hanging lantern with six
Metal, Brass
French Bronze and Beveled Glass Three-Light Hanging Lantern
Located in Barntrup, DE
Neoclassical style bronze and brass interior hanging lantern, France, 1950s. This elegant lantern
Brass, Bronze
Sold
H 27.56 in Dm 11.82 in
French Parcel-Gilt Wrought Iron Globe Pendant Light / Lantern with Leaves Design
Located in Barcelona, ES
Eye-catching three-light wrought iron globe pendant or lantern with leaf motif design, France
Iron
Mid-20th Century Five-Light French Brass Lantern
Located in Raalte, NL
French bronze five-light hall lantern from the 1950s-1960s with cardboard candle sleeves and all
Brass
Bronze Four-Light Lantern
Located in Oakville, ON
Lovely handcrafted bronze lanterns rewired with USA standard. There are 6 feet of wire and chain
Bronze
$1,901Sale Price / item|46% Off
H 27.56 in Dm 14.18 in
Cylindrical Lantern in Louis XVI Style Brass Glass Pendant Lighting
Located in Berlin, DE
Elegant Louis XVI Style Brass Lantern: Illuminate in Style Discover our exquisite collection of large cylindrical lanterns in the timeless Louis XVI style, a harmonious fusion of br...
Brass
$228,132Sale Price|33% Off
H 51.19 in W 55.12 in D 201.58 in
Rare Victorian Firescreen with Taxidermy Hummingbirds by Henry Ward
By Henry Ward
Located in Amsterdam, NL
England, third quarter of the 19th century On two scrolling foliate feet with casters, above which a rectangular two-side glazed frame, with on top a two-sided shield with initial...
Other
$2,515
H 31.5 in W 7.88 in D 7.88 in
Pair of Antique Louis XVI French Lanterns Chandeliers in Gilt Bronze & Cut Glass
Located in Coimbra, PT
Beautiful antique pair of Louis XVI French lanterns. Four cast gilt bronze frames with cut and etched glass panels shade. Price per unit. Dimensions : "Width" 7.88 in/ 20 cm "Depth"...
Bronze
$1,950 / item
H 13 in W 10.5 in D 5.25 in
Galvanized Metal and Glass Outdoor Wall Sconce, Made in Italy
Located in Culver City, CA
Elegant form with two swinging glass doors and painted back plate. Made in italy *Please Note: This fixture is made to order in Italy, and comes newly wired (eu wiring). It is not ...
Iron
$3,650 / set
H 21 in W 9.5 in D 9.5 in
Wonderful Pair Chinoiserie Gold Gilt Pagoda Lantern Bell Chandeliers Fixtures
Located in Roslyn, NY
A Wonderful Pair Of Chinoiserie Gold Gilt Pagoda lantern chandeliers With 3 Candelabra Lights Completely Rewired With Bells On Each Corner, These Fixtures Come With Chain Canopy And ...
Glass
Large Glass and Gilt Bronze Hanging Hall Lantern
Located in London, GB
This hall lantern has been exquisitely crafted from glass and gilt bronze (ormolu). The piece will look wonderful placed in a grand entrance hall, living or dining room. The light it...
Ormolu, Bronze
Antique Solid Brass 5 Light Hall Lantern, circa 1920-1930
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique solid brass 5 light hall lantern, circa 1920-1930.
Brass
Hand-Crafted Solid Brass Wall Lanterns with Beveled Glass, USA
Located in Delray Beach, FL
Elegant pair of wall lantern hand crafted from solid brass with three 40/watt lights each. Suitable for wet locations, electrified and ready to use. Beautiful thick beveled glass. ...
Brass
Italian Gilt Tole and Crystal Palm Frond Chandelier
By Hans Kögl
Located in Antwerp, BE
A Hollywood Regency style five-light gilt metal chandelier with tôle palm fronds and crystal glass decoration. Attributed to Hans Kögl and made in Italy. Original candle covers and c...
Crystal, Brass, Metal
Bronze Haning Lantern with Pinecone details
By Loyzaga
Located in Mexico, Ciudad de México
This incredible hanging lantern is inspired by the Romantic movement in the arts and literature of the late 18th Century in Europe, where they would incorporate soft elegance, vintag...
Brass
Venetian Monumental Seated Bird Cage
Located in Queens, NY
Italian Venetian style (20th Cent) octagonal shaped painted and decorated metal and wood bird cage with 8 upholstered seat and back cushions around base. (Franco Zefferelli Collection)
Metal
$3,160 / set
H 19.5 in W 7.25 in D 15 in
Pair of French Vintage Grey-Blue Painted Iron Wall Mount Sconce Lanterns
Located in Atlanta, GA
A pair of French painted iron wall-mounted lanterns from the mid-20th century. This pair of vintage sconces from France each have lantern style bodies which are extended outward from...
Iron
Pair of E.F. Caldwell Gilt Bronze Early Georgian Style Sconces
By Edward F. Caldwell & Co.
Located in Pittsburgh, PA
This handsome pair of Old English style Caldwell sconces are finely detailed, and have a mellow gilt finish. Originally from the library of "Goodwood", the Sewickley PA home of H.J. ...
Bronze
$8,000 / set
H 9 in W 7.8 in D 9 in
Pair of David Duncan Hurricane Sconces with Carved Mahogany Fanfare Backplates
By David Duncan
Located in New York, NY
A pair of antique hand-carved scalloped shells from mahogany Anglo Indian styled backplates with painted decoration with pink stripes alternating with mahogany, patinated brass sconc...
Brass
Regency Style Gold-Lacquered Brass Hall Lantern
Located in New York, NY
Of hexagonal form; surmounted by anthemion finials and S-scroll brackets. With four electrified candle sleeves.
Brass
Three Smoke Bell Light Pendants, Priced Individually
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Antique group of three smoke bell light fixtures or lanterns all three crafted in hand blown glass in classic form and having brass hardware. The two on the ends are signed Val St. L...
Brass
Neoclassical design emerged in Europe in the 1750s, as the Age of Enlightenment reached full flower. Neoclassical furniture took its cues from the styles of ancient Rome and Athens: symmetrical, ordered, dignified forms with such details as tapered and fluted chair and table legs, backrest finials and scrolled arms.
Over a period of some 20 years, first in France and later in Britain, neoclassical design — also known as Louis XVI, or Louis Seize — would supersede the lithe and curvaceous Rococo or Louis XV style.
The first half of the 18th century had seen a rebirth of interest in classical antiquity. The "Grand Tour" of Europe, codified as a part of the proper education of a patrician gentleman, included an extended visit to Rome. Some ventured further, to sketch the ruins of ancient Greece. These drawings and others — particularly those derived from the surprising and rich archaeological discoveries in the 1730s and ’40s at the sites of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum — caused great excitement among intellectuals and aesthetes alike.
Neoclassical furniture is meant to reflect both grace and power. The overall appearance of neoclassical chairs, tables and cabinetry is strong and rectilinear. These pieces are, in effect, classical architecture in miniature: chair and table legs are shaped like columns; cabinets are constructed with elements that mirror friezes and pediments.
Yet neoclassicism is enlivened by gilt and silver leaf, marquetry, and carved and applied ornamental motifs based on Greek and Roman sculpture: acanthus leaves, garlands, laurel wreaths, sheaves of arrow, medallions and chair splats are carved in the shapes of lyres and urns. Ormolu — or elaborate bronze gilding — was essential to French design in the 18th and 19th centuries as a cornerstone of the neoclassical and Empire styles.
As you can see from the furniture on these pages, there is a bit of whimsy in such stately pieces — a touch of lightness that will always keep neoclassicism fresh.
Find antique neoclassical furniture today on 1stDibs.
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.