How do you identify mid century lamps?

To identify mid-century lamps, look for a manufacturer's label or stamp on the base or the shade. You can use trusted online resources to determine when the company or artisan was active. Some lamps may also have a date stamp that you can use for identification purposes. Pieces dating from the late 1950s through the early 1970s are mid-century in terms of their age. A mid-century modern lamp will show off hallmarks of the design style, such as curvy hourglass or globe forms. A certified appraiser or experienced antiques dealer may also be able to help with the identification. Find a range of mid-century lamps on 1stDibs.

Mid Century Hourglass Lamp

Brass Hourglass

Lucite Hourglass

Sexy Lamp

1960s Walnut Dining Table

Murano Hourglass

Gerald Thurston Table Lamp For Lightolier

Hourglass Side Table

1950s Murano Glass Lamp

Mid Century Table Lamp by Gerald Thurston

$950

H 35 in Dm 6 in

Mid Century Table Lamp by Gerald Thurston

By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier

Located in New York, NY

Mid century Hourglass lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier with Lucite base, ceramic body and

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Pair of Mid-Century Brass & Aluminum Hourglass Table Lamps

$1,600 / set

H 28.75 in Dm 7.75 in

Pair of Mid-Century Brass & Aluminum Hourglass Table Lamps

Located in Norwalk, CT

(2) exceptional mid-century mixed metal table lamps. Apparently unsigned.

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Aluminum, Brass

Vintage Mid Century Modern Lucite Hourglass Black Faux Sharkskin Table Lamp

$625

H 31 in W 7 in D 7 in

Vintage Mid Century Modern Lucite Hourglass Black Faux Sharkskin Table Lamp

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Vintage Mid Century Modern Lucite Hourglass Black Faux Sharkskin Table Lamp. Item features textured

Category

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

Materials

Lucite

Mid-Century Modern Hourglass Ceramic & Brass Table Lamp

$395

H 30 in W 6.5 in D 6.5 in

Mid-Century Modern Hourglass Ceramic & Brass Table Lamp

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Dimensions: 30”H x 6.50” W x 6.50” D Shade 10”H x 15” W x 15” D

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century Modern Hourglass Table Lamps by Gerald Thurston

$3,800 / set

H 32 in Dm 8 in

Mid-Century Modern Hourglass Table Lamps by Gerald Thurston

By Gerald Thurston

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Pair of striking, Mid-Century Modern, table lamps by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier feature brown

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Pair Mid-Century Textured Ceramic and Wood Hourglass Shaped Lamps

$985 / set

H 37.5 in W 8 in D 8 in

Pair Mid-Century Textured Ceramic and Wood Hourglass Shaped Lamps

Located in San Francisco, CA

Pair of Mid-century Modern textured hourglass-shaped ceramic lamps with wood finials and trim.

Category

Mid-20th Century Unknown Other Table Lamps

Materials

Ceramic, Wood

Pair of Mid- Century White Murano Glass Hourglass Table Lamps, 1950s

$786 / set

H 13.39 in Dm 3.94 in

Pair of Mid- Century White Murano Glass Hourglass Table Lamps, 1950s

Located in Florence, IT

Pair of white hourglass shaped Murano Glass table lamps. Italian Vintage design midcentury era

Category

Mid-20th Century European Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Murano Glass

Pair of Mid-Century Pink Murano Glass Table Lamps Hourglass Shaped 1950s

$1,574 / set

H 15.75 in Dm 7.88 in

Pair of Mid-Century Pink Murano Glass Table Lamps Hourglass Shaped 1950s

Located in Florence, IT

Pair of Mid-Century Pink Murano Glass Table Lamps Hourglass Shaped. Golden Metal structure with two

Category

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

Materials

Metal

Mid-Century Modernist Stylized Hourglass Form Table Lamp in Bronze Ceramic

$1,800

H 35 in Dm 12 in

Mid-Century Modernist Stylized Hourglass Form Table Lamp in Bronze Ceramic

Located in New York, NY

This ultra chic lamp features a bronze ceramic finish with black enamel accents. It has an

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Ceramic

Walnut Hourglass Table Lamp 1960's

$850 / item

H 45 in Dm 6.5 in

Walnut Hourglass Table Lamp 1960's

By Raymond Pfennig, Phillip Lloyd Powell

Located in Fulton, CA

Turned walnut hourglass table lamp in the manner of Phillip Lloyd Powell. Circa. 1960. Beautifully

Category

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

Materials

Metal, Brass

Pair of Mid-Century Modern Hourglass Form Channel Lamps in Polished Chrome

$4,475 / set

H 37 in W 6 in D 6 in

Pair of Mid-Century Modern Hourglass Form Channel Lamps in Polished Chrome

Located in New York, NY

This exceptional pair of Mid-Century Modern lamps were realized in the United States, circa 1970

Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Chrome

Restored Mid-century "Hourglass" Rattan Floor/Table Lamps Set of 3

$1,950Sale Price|40% Off

H 61.5 in Dm 10 in

Restored Mid-century "Hourglass" Rattan Floor/Table Lamps Set of 3

Located in Van Nuys, CA

Mahogany caps. All lamps include brass light fixtures with spring-like sculpted accents. The mid-century

Category

Vintage 1950s American Table Lamps

Materials

Rattan

Rembrandt Teal and Gold Hourglass Shaped Midcentury Table Lamp

$895

H 42 in Dm 15 in

Rembrandt Teal and Gold Hourglass Shaped Midcentury Table Lamp

By Rembrandt Lamp Company, Marc Bellaire, TYE of California

Located in Chattanooga, TN

Outstanding Mid-Century Modern Rembrandt table lamp with original shade. This is one of the best

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Pair of Raymond Pfennig for Zina Walnut Hourglass Table Lamps, 1960s

$2,750 / set

H 28.5 in Dm 5 in

Pair of Raymond Pfennig for Zina Walnut Hourglass Table Lamps, 1960s

By Zina Lamp Co., Raymond Pfennig

Located in Bainbridge, NY

Pair of California Modern Raymond Pfennig for Zina Lamp Company walnut bedside table lamps, 1960s

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Walnut

Granite Hourglass Lamp, France 1950's

$2,250 / item

H 20 in Dm 12 in

Granite Hourglass Lamp, France 1950's

Located in New York, NY

Carved granite lamp with a grey/blue tint.

Category

Mid-20th Century French Brutalist Table Lamps

Materials

Granite

Stacked Lucite Block Hourglass Form Table Lamp

$575

H 24 in W 6 in D 6 in

Stacked Lucite Block Hourglass Form Table Lamp

By Charles Hollis Jones

Located in New York, NY

Stylish stacked block Lucite, hourglass form table lamp. Clean, original, working condition, shade

Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Lucite

Porcelain Hourglass Table Lamps by Gerald Thurston, 1950s

$7,800 / set

H 36.5 in Dm 18 in

Porcelain Hourglass Table Lamps by Gerald Thurston, 1950s

By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier

Located in Westport, CT

for those who appreciate mid-century modern design. These lamps were designed by the legendary Gerald

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Gerald Thurston for Lightolier American Porcelain Hourglass Table Lamp

$2,400

H 36 in W 8 in D 8 in

Gerald Thurston for Lightolier American Porcelain Hourglass Table Lamp

By Gerald Thurston

Located in Queens, NY

American Mid-Century Brown, Beige, and White ceramic and brass trimmed Hourglass shaped Table Lamp

Category

20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Porcelain

Milk Glass and Brass Hourglass Shaped Table Lamps

$2,500 / set

H 41 in Dm 8 in

Milk Glass and Brass Hourglass Shaped Table Lamps

By Stiffel

Located in Denton, TX

A pair of 1960s white milk glass inverted cones separated with brass accents for a hourglass

Category

20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass, Metal

Pair of Hourglass Form Wood and Brass Lamps

$1,600 / set

H 30.5 in Dm 12 in

Pair of Hourglass Form Wood and Brass Lamps

Located in Atlanta, GA

Pair of hourglass form wood and brass lamps, American, circa 1950s. They retain their warm original

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Ceramic and Brass Hourglass Table Lamp by Gerald Thurston

$1,200

H 40 in Dm 7 in

Ceramic and Brass Hourglass Table Lamp by Gerald Thurston

By Gerald Thurston

Located in New York, NY

of wasted or hourglass, form elements, it is in very fine original, and working condition. The lamp

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Walnut and Birch Hourglass Table Lamp by Mel Smilow

$3,200 / item

H 35.5 in W 8 in D 16 in

Walnut and Birch Hourglass Table Lamp by Mel Smilow

By Mel Smilow

Located in New York, NY

The Hourglass table lamp is part of the re-issued Smilow Lighting Collection, originally designed

Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Birch, Walnut

Restored Rattan & Mahogany Hourglass Side Table Torchiere Floor Lamp

$1,350Sale Price / item|40% Off

H 60 in W 18 in D 18 in

Restored Rattan & Mahogany Hourglass Side Table Torchiere Floor Lamp

Located in Van Nuys, CA

This beautifully restored Paul Frankl-inspired Mid-century rattan & mahogany hourglass-shaped side

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Rattan, Formica

Barovier and Toso Italian Handblown Green Glass Hourglass Form Table Lamp

$4,800

H 26 in W 6.5 in D 6.5 in

Barovier and Toso Italian Handblown Green Glass Hourglass Form Table Lamp

By Barovier&Toso

Located in Queens, NY

Mid-Century Italian handblown green glass table lamp in hourglass form, wired to a brass stem and

Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Midcentury Italian Brass Hourglass Shaped Single Light Lamp, US Wired

$2,100

H 24.25 in Dm 10 in

Midcentury Italian Brass Hourglass Shaped Single Light Lamp, US Wired

Located in Atlanta, GA

A Midcentury Modern Italian Brass hourglass shaped table lamp with single socket and newly and

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Danish Modern Striped Hourglass Table Lamp, E & J Andersen, 1960s

$1,161Sale Price|20% Off

H 15.75 in Dm 7.48 in

Danish Modern Striped Hourglass Table Lamp, E & J Andersen, 1960s

By Eva & Johannes Andersen

Located in Copenhagen, DK

burgundy and grey organically shaped stripes from top to bottom of the soft hourglass shaped lamp. Black

Category

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

Materials

Ceramic, Pottery, Stoneware

Atomic Modern Hourglass Brass and Black Wire "Birdcage" Table Lamp

$1,500

H 27 in Dm 7 in

Atomic Modern Hourglass Brass and Black Wire "Birdcage" Table Lamp

By Gerald Thurston

Located in Bedford Hills, NY

An iconic example of Space Age design, this table lamp features a dramatic hourglass silhouette in

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Italian Hourglass Rattan and Brass

$2,500

H 32 in Dm 19.68 in

Italian Hourglass Rattan and Brass

Located in New York, NY

Hourglass Italian made rattan lamp can be made in other sizes. Beautiful craftsmanship

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Rattan

Pair of Blue Overlay Blown Glass Murano Hourglass Table Lamps, 1950s

$1,935 / set

H 18.12 in Dm 7.88 in

Pair of Blue Overlay Blown Glass Murano Hourglass Table Lamps, 1950s

Located in Florence, IT

Pair of blue overlay blown "incamiciato" Murano Hourglass table lamps. Overlay blown Murano glass

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Murano Glass

Barbara Barry for Baker Italian Bronze Hourglass Form Table Lamp

$900Sale Price|66% Off

H 29.5 in Dm 9.75 in

Barbara Barry for Baker Italian Bronze Hourglass Form Table Lamp

Located in Ferndale, MI

. Machined and assembled in Italy for Baker furniture. Lamp has 9.75" diameter. Body of lamp is 16.5" tall

Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Bronze

A Pair Of Light Pink Murano Hourglass Lamps Ca' 1950's

$2,800 / set

H 34 in Dm 8 in

A Pair Of Light Pink Murano Hourglass Lamps Ca' 1950's

By Barovier

Located in St.Petersburg, FL

A pair of unusual hourglass lamps from Murano, Italy ca' 1950's. Mounted on unusual brass bases

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Pair of Hourglass Form Brass Table Lamps by Stewart Ross James

$4,500Sale Price / set|47% Off

H 33 in Dm 5.75 in

Pair of Hourglass Form Brass Table Lamps by Stewart Ross James

By Hansen Lighting Co., Stewart Ross James

Located in Ferndale, MI

Pair of hourglass form brass table lamps by Stewart Ross James for Hansen.

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Monumental Pair Blenko Style Smoke Olive Hourglass Glass Table Lamps, 1950s

$2,500 / set

H 34.5 in Dm 6 in

Monumental Pair Blenko Style Smoke Olive Hourglass Glass Table Lamps, 1950s

By Blenko Glass

Located in Bainbridge, NY

Tall Pair of Smoky Artichoke Blenko Glass Co. attributed Glass Table Lamps. Featuring translucent

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Pair Adrian Pearsall Style Modern Walnut & Brushed Steel Hourglass Table Lamps

$2,200 / set

H 27.5 in Dm 6 in

Pair Adrian Pearsall Style Modern Walnut & Brushed Steel Hourglass Table Lamps

By Rude Osolnik, Adrian Pearsall

Located in Bainbridge, NY

Pair of Walnut & Brushed Steel Candlestick Reading Table Lamps, 1950's. Featuring smooth solid

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Elegant Tall White Enamel and Brass Hourglass Lamp by Stewart Ross James

$3,400

H 49 in Dm 7 in

Elegant Tall White Enamel and Brass Hourglass Lamp by Stewart Ross James

By Hansen, Stewart Ross James

Located in Buffalo, NY

Elegant, sexy extra tall white enamel and brass Hourglass lamp by Stewart Ross James for Hansen

Category

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

Materials

Brass, Steel

Substantial Pair Incised White Ceramic & Walnut Hourglass Table Lamps, C. 1950's

$2,000 / set

H 39 in Dm 7 in

Substantial Pair Incised White Ceramic & Walnut Hourglass Table Lamps, C. 1950's

By Michael Lax

Located in Bainbridge, NY

Pair of American Mid-Century Modern White Linear Incised Ceramic & Walnut Table Lamps. In the

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Pair Bruno Gambone Style Mustard, Red Brown Banded Hourglass Pottery Table Lamps

$2,000 / set

H 28.5 in Dm 7 in

Pair Bruno Gambone Style Mustard, Red Brown Banded Hourglass Pottery Table Lamps

By Bruno Gambone

Located in Bainbridge, NY

Pair of Bruno Gambone style multi color block stripe table lamps, circa 1970. Featuring a matte

Category

Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Pottery

Hourglass Table Lamp in Walnut Attributed to Phillip Lloyd Powell , USA, 1960's

$3,650

H 17.25 in W 14 in D 14 in

Hourglass Table Lamp in Walnut Attributed to Phillip Lloyd Powell , USA, 1960's

By Phillip Lloyd Powell

Located in Deland, FL

Introducing an exquisite wood-turned, hourglass-shaped table lamp with a base made entirely from

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Walnut

Monumental Pair of Walnut Hourglass Lamps in the Style of Phillip Lloyd Powell

$12,000 / set

H 40 in Dm 8 in

Monumental Pair of Walnut Hourglass Lamps in the Style of Phillip Lloyd Powell

Located in Atlanta, GA

An exceptional pair of vintage hand made Walnut lamps, circa 1950's. Hourglass shape with

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Walnut

Hourglass shaped modernist pendant lamp attributed to ASEA, Sweden, 1950s

$1,149

H 17.72 in Dm 8.67 in

Hourglass shaped modernist pendant lamp attributed to ASEA, Sweden, 1950s

By ASEA

Located in Forserum, SE

Swedish mid century pendant lamp attributed to the Swedish electric company ASEA, 1950s. Sculptural

Category

Vintage 1950s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

Materials

Aluminum, Brass

Recent Sales

Arredoluce Midcentury Oxblood "Clessidra" Hourglass Table Lamp, 1960s

Unavailable

H 9.85 in Dm 4.73 in

Arredoluce Midcentury Oxblood "Clessidra" Hourglass Table Lamp, 1960s

By Arredoluce

Located in Milan, Italy

. The lamp called "Clessidra" (Italian for hourglass) after its shape and is in excellent untouched

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass, Sheet Metal

Vintage Matched Pair of Hourglass Murano Lamps in Lilac

Unavailable

H 24 in Dm 8.5 in

Vintage Matched Pair of Hourglass Murano Lamps in Lilac

Located in Little Rock, AR

Exquisite double hourglass vintage Murano lamps in Lilac, imported in the 1960s. They are elegant

Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Nickel

Hourglass-shaped designer table lamp in brass. Mid-20th century.

Sold

H 9.85 in Dm 4.73 in

Hourglass-shaped designer table lamp in brass. Mid-20th century.

Located in København, Copenhagen

Hourglass-shaped designer table lamp in brass. Mid-20th century. Measures: 25 x 12 cm. In

Category

Mid-20th Century Unknown Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Mid-Century Modern Taupe Gray Ceramic Hourglass Shaped Lamp

Sold

H 27.5 in W 15 in D 15 in

Mid-Century Modern Taupe Gray Ceramic Hourglass Shaped Lamp

Located in Topeka, KS

hourglass shaped base this lamp is a perfect example of the Mid-Century Modern Atomic Age. However, its nice

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Ceramic

Mel Smilow Walnut and Birch Wood Mid Century Modern Hourglass Table Lamp

Sold

H 38.25 in Dm 19 in

Mel Smilow Walnut and Birch Wood Mid Century Modern Hourglass Table Lamp

By Mel Smilow

Located in Keego Harbor, MI

A Mel Smilow walnut and birch hourglass table lamp. A beautiful mid century modern table lamp

Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

Materials

Birch, Walnut

Pair of Modernist Laurel Hourglass Lamps, Original Lime Green

Sold

H 33 in W 6 in D 6 in

Pair of Modernist Laurel Hourglass Lamps, Original Lime Green

By Laurel Lamp Company

Located in Buffalo, NY

Pair of table lamps, manufactured by Laurel Lamp Co. Outrageous "electric" green enameled metal

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal, Brass

Mid-Century Modernist Sculptural Hourglass Form Table Lamps in Ebonized Walnut

Sold

H 42 in Dm 7 in

Mid-Century Modernist Sculptural Hourglass Form Table Lamps in Ebonized Walnut

Located in New York, NY

An super chic pair of Mid-Century Modernist sculptural hourglass form table lamps in ebonized

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Pair of Mid Century Modern Hourglass Form Channel Lamps in Polished Chrome

Sold

H 37 in W 6 in D 6 in

Pair of Mid Century Modern Hourglass Form Channel Lamps in Polished Chrome

Located in New York, NY

This exceptional pair of mid-century modern lamps were realized in the United States, circa 1970

Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Chrome

Mid-Century Modern Textured Brass and Black Enamel Hourglass Form Table Lamp

Sold

H 20.5 in Dm 13.25 in

Mid-Century Modern Textured Brass and Black Enamel Hourglass Form Table Lamp

Located in New York, NY

This elegant Mid-Century Modern table lamp was realized in the United States, circa 1950. It

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass, Enamel

Pair of Midcentury Leather Hourglass Table Lamps

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H 27.5 in Dm 6 in

Pair of Midcentury Leather Hourglass Table Lamps

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Pair of handsome, Mid-Century Modern, table lamps feature embossed leather, hourglass shaped bases

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Gerald Thurston Ceramic and Brass Hourglass Table Lamps

Sold

H 39 in Dm 8 in

Gerald Thurston Ceramic and Brass Hourglass Table Lamps

By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston

Located in Bainbridge, NY

pair of 1950's Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Off White Porcelain glazed hourglass Lamps with

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

pair of Gerald Thurston Charcoal Hourglass Ceramic Lamps

Sold

H 30 in Dm 8.25 in

pair of Gerald Thurston Charcoal Hourglass Ceramic Lamps

By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston

Located in Bainbridge, NY

2 statuesque 1950's Gerald Thurston for Lightolier fluted hourglass Ceramic Lamps with Dark Gray

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Pair of White Murano Glass Hourglass Table Lamps, 1950s

Sold

H 18.12 in Dm 7.88 in

Pair of White Murano Glass Hourglass Table Lamps, 1950s

Located in Florence, IT

Pair of white hourglass shaped Murano Glass table lamps. Italian Vintage design midcentury era

Category

Mid-20th Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Murano Glass

Pink Murano Hourglass Table Lamp 1960's Vistosi Style

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H 39 in Dm 29 in

Pink Murano Hourglass Table Lamp 1960's Vistosi Style

By Vistosi

Located in London, GB

Hourglass pink Murano 1950's table lamp in the style of Vistosi gives very atmospheric light. The

Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Gerald Thurston For Lightolier Hourglass Porcelain and Brass Table Lamps

Sold

H 40.5 in W 8 in D 8 in

Gerald Thurston For Lightolier Hourglass Porcelain and Brass Table Lamps

By Gerald Thurston

Located in New York, NY

1950's Mid-Century Modern porcelain and brass hourglass table lamps designed by Gerald Thurston for

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Pair of Gerald Thurston 1950s Hourglass Tri-color Ceramic Lamps

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H 22 in Dm 7.25 in

Pair of Gerald Thurston 1950s Hourglass Tri-color Ceramic Lamps

By Gerald Thurston

Located in San Francisco, CA

postwar era. His innovative designs exemplify the streamlined forms of the mid 20th century. Thurston

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Ceramic

Mid-Century Modern Carved Alabaster Lamps in James Mont Style

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H 30.5 in W 5.75 in D 4.5 in

Mid-Century Modern Carved Alabaster Lamps in James Mont Style

By James Mont

Located in Astoria, NY

Pair of Mid-Century Modern pierced, hourglass form alabaster lamps with carved geometric decoration

Category

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

Materials

Alabaster

1950s Belgium Purple, Violet & Clear Hourglass Shaped Table Lamp Brass Fitting

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H 15.56 in W 4.34 in D 2.76 in

1950s Belgium Purple, Violet & Clear Hourglass Shaped Table Lamp Brass Fitting

By Val Saint Lambert

Located in London, England

An unusual 1950s Belgium purple table lamp with a sommerso style violet line around the base

Category

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

Materials

Brass

Murano Glass Table Lamp - Hourglass Shape Mouth-Blown Glass and Chrome, 1970s

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H 23.23 in W 9.85 in D 9.85 in

Murano Glass Table Lamp - Hourglass Shape Mouth-Blown Glass and Chrome, 1970s

By Carlo Nason, Mazzega

Located in San Benedetto Del Tronto, IT

Vintage 70s Lamp crafted with exquisite hourglass-shaped Murano glass. These table lamp embodies

Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Franco Albini Style Split Rattan Basket Hourglass Table Lamp Pair, w/ Shades

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H 16 in W 12 in D 15 in

Franco Albini Style Split Rattan Basket Hourglass Table Lamp Pair, w/ Shades

Located in Van Nuys, CA

Pair of restored mid-century rattan table lamps featuring basket body fixed to wood round top and

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Rattan

1950s Belgium Val St Lambert Emerald Green and Clear Glass Hourglass Table Lamp

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H 18.12 in Dm 4.73 in L 18.12 in

1950s Belgium Val St Lambert Emerald Green and Clear Glass Hourglass Table Lamp

By Val Saint Lambert

Located in London, England

An unusual tactile and hourglass design by Belgium glassmaker Val St Lambert. A solid and heavy

Category

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

Materials

Chrome

Pair of 70s Murano Mouth-Blown Glass Lamps - Hourglass Design and Chrome Accents

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H 23.23 in W 9.85 in D 9.85 in

Pair of 70s Murano Mouth-Blown Glass Lamps - Hourglass Design and Chrome Accents

By Carlo Nason, Mazzega

Located in San Benedetto Del Tronto, IT

lamps feature hourglass-shaped Murano glass, mouth-blown to perfection, with delicate white whirls that

Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

One of a pair of Pink Murano Table Lamps Hourglass 1950's Vistosi Style

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H 15.36 in Dm 7.88 in

One of a pair of Pink Murano Table Lamps Hourglass 1950's Vistosi Style

By Vistosi

Located in London, GB

only one pink Murano 1950's table lamps in hourglass in the style of Vistosi give very atmospheric

Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Metal

Stunning Pair of Mid-Century Sculptural Lamps in Ebonized Walnut

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H 41.5 in

Stunning Pair of Mid-Century Sculptural Lamps in Ebonized Walnut

Located in New York, NY

Stunning pair of Mid-Century lamps in an hourglass shape made from a floating frame of brass

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Hourglass Table Lamp

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H 21.5 in W 19.75 in D 19.75 in

Hourglass Table Lamp

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Hourglass side table lamp. This creamy table doubles as a lamp that illuminates the surface in a

Category

Vintage 1960s Mid-Century Modern Side Tables

Pair of White Murano Glass Lamps Attributed to Vetri

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H 21.5 in W 6 in D 6 in

Pair of White Murano Glass Lamps Attributed to Vetri

By Paolo Venini, Barovier, Venini, Barovier&Toso, Vetri

Located in Houston, TX

Unusual pair of frosted white murano glass lamps on Lucite bases. This stunning pair of Mid-Century

Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Glass

American Mid Century Modernist Pair of Hourglass Table Lamps in Walnut and Brass

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H 24 in Dm 6 in

American Mid Century Modernist Pair of Hourglass Table Lamps in Walnut and Brass

By Tony Paul, Modeline Lamp Co.

Located in St.Petersburg, FL

Iconic Mid-Century Modern table lamps. Features a brass base and walnut hour glass shape. Other

Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Brass

Pair Mid Century Brass Hourglass Form Table Lamps by Stewart Ross James

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H 20 in Dm 5.75 in

Pair Mid Century Brass Hourglass Form Table Lamps by Stewart Ross James

By Hansen Lighting Co., Stewart Ross James

Located in New York, NY

Pair Vintage Mid Century Brass Hourglass Form Table Lamps by Stewart Ross James. Overall excellent

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

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Brass

Vintage Bakelite Hourglass Lamp - a Pair

Sold

H 26 in W 8.5 in D 7 in

Vintage Bakelite Hourglass Lamp - a Pair

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

Epic pair of vintage Bakelite stack style hourglass shaped table lamps. Fun period addition to any

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Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

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Bakelite

Midcentury Turned Hourglass-Form Table Lamps

Sold

H 30.38 in Dm 11 in

Midcentury Turned Hourglass-Form Table Lamps

Located in Hyattsville, MD

Turned and stained elm, pine or ash lamps, lightweight. Possibly made by Lane or distributed by

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Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Wood

Pair of White Murano Glass Hourglass Table Lamps, 1950s

Sold

H 18.12 in Dm 7.88 in

Pair of White Murano Glass Hourglass Table Lamps, 1950s

Located in Florence, IT

Pair of white hourglass shaped Murano Glass table lamps. Italian Vintage design mid-century era

Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Murano Glass

Walnut Hourglass Floor Lamp by Raymond Pfennig for Zina Lamp Co.

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H 66 in Dm 6 in

Walnut Hourglass Floor Lamp by Raymond Pfennig for Zina Lamp Co.

By Raymond Pfennig

Located in Hanover, MA

Walnut diabolo form floor lamp designed by Raymond Pfennig for Zina Lamp Co. in Northern California

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Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps

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Sexy Pair of Restored Hand-Painted Hourglass Lamps in Chocolate and Cream

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H 36.5 in Dm 9 in

Sexy Pair of Restored Hand-Painted Hourglass Lamps in Chocolate and Cream

Located in Atlanta, GA

A fabulous pair of large-scale lamps, circa 1960. Stunning ceramic hourglass form, hand-painted and

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Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

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Brass

Pair of Mid Century Ceramic Lamps with Modernist Hourglass Form

Sold

H 37 in

Pair of Mid Century Ceramic Lamps with Modernist Hourglass Form

Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Pair of ultra modern mid century ceramic table lamps with black glaze finish. The lamps have a

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20th Century American Table Lamps

Pair of Wicker Hourglass Table Lamps

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H 16.5 in Dm 7 in

Pair of Wicker Hourglass Table Lamps

Located in Brooklyn, NY

Two 20th century woven natural fiber lamps, each having a single socket.

Category

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

Pair of 1950s Chartreuse Square Hourglass Lamps by Laurel

Sold

H 28 in W 6.5 in D 6.5 in

Pair of 1950s Chartreuse Square Hourglass Lamps by Laurel

By Laurel

Located in Hudson, NY

A charming pair of 1950s steel square hourglass form lamps finished in chartreuse by Laurel. very

Category

Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Steel

Huge Mid-Century Modern Hourglass Double Cone Light Chandelier Pendant Lamp

Sold

H 48 in Dm 50 in

Huge Mid-Century Modern Hourglass Double Cone Light Chandelier Pendant Lamp

Located in Salt Lake City, UT

This is a large chandelier in great vintage condition has wear from age and use some paint inside the cones is chipping off the outside of the cones are all very clean this c...

Category

Vintage 1950s Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants

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Metal, Steel

Pair of Large Turned Walnut Hourglass Form Lamps by Laurel

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H 36 in W 7 in D 7 in

Pair of Large Turned Walnut Hourglass Form Lamps by Laurel

By Laurel Lamp Company

Located in Hadley, MA

Pair of turned walnut hourglass form lamps by Laurel. 7" wide at base, original brass finials.

Category

Mid-20th Century Table Lamps

Materials

Walnut

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Midcentury Tri Pod Table Lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier C 1950s

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Mid Century Hourglass Lamp For Sale on 1stDibs

With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the mid century hourglass lamp you’re looking for. Frequently made of metal, brass and ceramic, every mid century hourglass lamp was constructed with great care. There are 29 variations of the antique or vintage mid century hourglass lamp you’re looking for, while we also have 1 modern editions of this piece to choose from as well. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer mid century hourglass lamp, there are earlier versions available from the 20th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 21st Century. A mid century hourglass lamp, designed in the Mid-Century Modern style, is generally a popular piece of furniture. You’ll likely find more than one mid century hourglass lamp that is appealing in its simplicity, but Gerald Thurston, Lightolier and Stewart Ross James produced versions that are worth a look.

How Much is a Mid Century Hourglass Lamp?

Prices for a mid century hourglass lamp can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $495 and can go as high as $12,000, while the average can fetch as much as $2,050.

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

Emerged during the mid-20th century
Informed by European modernism, Bauhaus, International style, Scandinavian modernism and Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture
A heyday of innovation in postwar America
Experimentation with new ideas, new materials and new forms flourished in Scandinavia, Italy, the former Czechoslovakia and elsewhere in Europe

CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

Simplicity, organic forms, clean lines
A blend of neutral and bold Pop art colors
Use of natural and man-made materials — alluring woods such as teak, rosewood and oak; steel, fiberglass and molded plywood
Light-filled spaces with colorful upholstery
Glass walls and an emphasis on the outdoors
Promotion of functionality

MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

Charles and Ray Eames
Eero Saarinen
Milo Baughman
Florence Knoll
Harry Bertoia
Isamu Noguchi
George Nelson
Danish modernists Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen, whose emphasis on natural materials and craftsmanship influenced American designers and vice versa

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 celebrated 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.

Generations turn over, and mid-century modern remains arguably the most popular style going. 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.

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See How New York City Designers Experiment on Their Own Homes

There are many lessons to be learned from the lofts, apartments and townhouses of architects and decorators in Manhattan and beyond.

Jeff Andrews Captures Old Hollywood Glamour in His Cinematic Spaces

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New Orleans’ Lee Ledbetter Makes Design Magic by Mixing Past and Present

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Desert Modern Designer Arthur Elrod Finally Gets His Day in the Sun

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