Pair of Articulated Sconce Mid-Century Modern Solid Brass Black and White
By Stilnovo, Arredoluce, Gino Sarfatti
Located in Tavarnelle val di Pesa, Florence
This exquisite sconce is a nod to the timeless pieces crafted by mid-century modern Italian studios Arteluce and Stilnovo in the 1950s, but with a unique and distinctive design that ...
Metal, Aluminum, Brass
Orientable wall lamp by Jean Rispal
By Jean Rispal
Located in Brussels, BE
Rare wall lamp by the French lighting designer Jean Rispal around 1950. Structure in solid teak. Adjustable in orientation, perfect for reading corners or above Sideboards as showe...
Teak
Matheny Wall Lamp - Delightfull
Located in Rio Tinto, PT
Matheny Wall Lamp has a complex and attractive geometry design of combined tubes. This unique lamp combines a mid-century modern design with a classic style that will make a statemen...
Brass
$1,450 / item
Magari Wall Lamp in Nickel
By Blueprint Lighting
Located in Westport, CT
The Magari wall lamp or reading light is handmade to order. Magari is adjustable to suit your needs: there are two articulating joints, and the shade has a swivel mechanism for rotat...
Enamel, Nickel
Arlus wall lamp with counterweight, 1950
By Arlus
Located in JASSANS-RIOTTIER, FR
Designed and produced in the 1950s by the renowned French lighting manufacturer Arlus, this elegant wall lamp is a refined example of mid-century modern design. The piece features a ...
Metal, Chrome
Stilnovo Wall or Table Adjustable Lamp
By Stilnovo
Located in Padova, IT
Superb and very rare wall or table adjustable lamp. Clean and current design. Well preserved, it expresses refinement and good taste. Ideal for a reading corner or to illuminate a de...
Metal
French Artisan-Made Iron Potence Wall Light, 1960s
Located in Chicago, IL
Artisan-made in France in the 1960s, this iron potence light captures the essence of mid-century industrial design. A single elongated arm extends into space—bent at sharp angles, it...
Iron
1970s Minimalist Teak and Brass Adjustable Wall Lighting Strip
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Wall-mounted lighting strip from the 1970s combines teak construction with brass-framed fixtures in a distinctly minimal configuration. Two cylindrical brass housings slide horizonta...
Brass
Swedish Modern wall lamp by Böhlmarks, Sweden, 1940s
By Arvid Böhlmarks Lampfabrik
Located in Karlstad, SE
Elegant Swedish Modern wall lamp executed in brass, produced by Böhlmarks during the 1940s. The lamp features a sculptural, vertically fluted shade with small perforations at the top...
Brass
$259Sale Price|20% Off
Napako Adjustable Czech Wall Light in Lacquered Metal, 1960s
By Napako
Located in Praha, CZ
Minimalist adjustable wall light produced by Napako in Czechoslovakia during the 1960s. This elegant Mid-Century Modern design features a lacquered metal construction with a cylindri...
Metal
1950s Wall Lamp in rosewood and olive glass
Located in Victoria, BC
This wall-mounted swing arm lamp was produced in Scandinavia during the 1950s–1960s and is attributed to Uno and Osten Kristiansson. The structure is crafted in solid rosewood, with ...
Glass, Wood
$640Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of Napako Wall Lamps by Hůrka, Czechoslovakia, 1970s
By Josef Hurka
Located in Praha, CZ
Rare pair of wall lamps designed by Hůrka for Napako and produced in Czechoslovakia during the 1970s. These sculptural sconces are made from folded lacquered metal in a white and li...
Metal, Chrome
Wim Rietveld panama wall lamp 4050 Gispen 1955 black
By Gispen, Wim Rietveld
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Bring a piece of design history into your interior with this rare Panama wall lamp (model 4050), designed by Wim Rietveld and manufactured by Gispen Culemborg in the Netherlands in 1...
Metal, Aluminum
$4,465 / item
Pair of Louis Poulsen Brass Wall Lamps, 1950s
By Louis Poulsen
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
This set of brass wall lamps, produced by Louis Poulsen in Denmark, embodies the enduring elegance and craftsmanship that define mid-century Scandinavian lighting design.
Brass
Pair of Scandinavian Modern Brass Wall Lamps, 1950s
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
This refined pair of Danish wall lamps, designer unknown, offers a quintessential expression of mid-century Scandinavian lighting design—melding geometric precision, material contras...
Metal, Brass
Wall Sconce "Band" by Peter Celsing for Falkenbergs Belysning, Sweden, 1960s
Located in Skarpnäck, SE
An elegant mid-century Scandinavian wall lamp designed by Peter Celsing known as "Band" for Falkenbergs Belysning, Sweden, circa 1960s. This refined wall-mounted lamp exemplifies th...
Metal
Wall Lamps a Pair of Falkenbergs Lighting Sweden 1960
By Falkenbergs Belysning
Located in Paris, IDF
Wall lamps a pair of Falkenbergs lighting 1950/60s. sconces, picture light, reading lights Model 8260 Brass frame, shades of black lacquered sheet metal, adjustable, 20x7×12 cm. Good...
Metal, Brass
$2,145 / set
ORNO Lisa Johansson-Pape wall lamps, model 3054
By Lisa Johansson-Pape
Located in Hyvinkää, FI
Lisa Johansson-Pape (1907–1989) was a Finnish designer and interior architect, renowned for her lighting design. Her designed wall lamp pair model 3054 represents her typical style, ...
Metal, Brass
Italian 1950s Brass Wall Sconce with Opaline Glass Shade
Located in Rome, IT
This 1950s Italian wall sconce combines a compact sculptural form with refined materials. The design features a black-lacquered wall mount, a slender brass arm and a cylindrical blac...
Brass
Poetic Cut-Glass Glow — Gardella Attrib. Brass Wall Sconce, 1950s
By Ignazio Gardella, Azucena
Located in Brescia, Brescia
A quietly theatrical wall light, defined by the tension between strict geometry and a soft, refracted glow. The silhouette is resolutely architectural: a rectangular wall plate in bl...
Metal, Brass
$1,670Sale Price|20% Off
Magnificent french Counterweight Wall Lamp, 1960s
Located in BARCELONA, ES
The Magnificent French Counterweight Wall Lamp from the 1960s, featuring a black lacquered body, chrome details, and a pearly white screen, is a striking example of mid-century moder...
Metal, Chrome
$1,530Sale Price|20% Off
STILUX Milano Midcentury Black Articulating Wall Light, 1950s
By Stilux
Located in NUEMBRECHT, NRW
This 1950s articulating reading light was designed and manufactured in Italy by Stilux Milano. Executed in black lacquered metal and brass. A very architectural and refined wall lamp...
Metal, Brass
$440Sale Price|20% Off
A 1950s Danish Brass And Bakelite Telescopic Wall Lamp
By Lyfa
Located in Søborg, DK
A 1950s brass and Bakelite telescopic wall reading lamp. A classic period piece of lighting with a beautiful age related patina to all the parts from the brass wall bracket and tele...
Brass
Italian Wall Light, Brass and Ivory Lacquer, Stilnovo Style
By Stilnovo
Located in Bochum, NRW
This is a sculptural wall-mounted light fixture, where minimalist form meets refined materiality. Dimensions: 20 x 70 x 15 (32) cm. Crafted from polished brass and ivory lacquered m...
Metal, Brass
1950s Arlus French Telescopic Wall Light in Black Aluminum & Brass
By Robert Mathieu, Arlus, Serge Mouille, Maison Lunel
Located in SOTTEVILLE-LÈS-ROUEN, FR
Elegant and functional, this large telescopic wall light was designed by Arlus in France during the 1950s. It features a black lacquered cast aluminium structure (original paint), wi...
Steel, Brass, Aluminum
Midcentury Magnetic Mirror Chrome Eye-Ball Wall Sconce, 1970s
Located in Esbjerg, DK
A very versatile wall light that can be adjusted in every direction due to its magnetic wall mount. It is commonly referred to as an eye-ball sconce for obvious reasons. Inspired by ...
Steel, Chrome
Oki Sato NJP White Large Wall Light for Louis Poulsen
By Nendo, Oki Sato, Louis Poulsen
Located in Glendale, CA
Oki Sato NJP White Large Wall Light for Louis Poulsen Designed by Oki Sato from Japan's Nendo design studio. Provides direct light perfect for modern living rooms, bedrooms, and hom...
Aluminum
Oki Sato NJP Black Large Wall Light for Louis Poulsen
By Oki Sato, Nendo, Louis Poulsen
Located in Glendale, CA
Oki Sato NJP Black Large Wall Light for Louis Poulsen Designed by Oki Sato from Japan's Nendo design studio. Provides direct light perfect for modern living rooms, bedrooms, and hom...
Aluminum
Magari Kitchen Wall Lamp Stilnovo style in Bronze, White and Brass
By Gino Sarfatti
Located in Bromma, SE
Wall Lamp in the Style of Italian 50’s Stilnovo Arredoluce. Stilnovo Wall Lamps perfect as kitchen wall lamps or as a reading light. Handmade lamp structure in brass and shades in me...
Brass
Oki Sato NJP Grey Large Wall Light for Louis Poulsen
By Louis Poulsen, Nendo, Oki Sato
Located in Glendale, CA
Oki Sato NJP Grey Large Wall Light for Louis Poulsen Designed by Oki Sato from Japan's Nendo design studio. Provides direct light perfect for modern living rooms, bedrooms, and home...
Aluminum
Set of 3 Stilnovo style Magari Kitchen Wall Lamps in Bronze, White and Brass
By Gino Sarfatti
Located in Bromma, SE
Set of 3 Wall Lamps in the Style of Italian 50’s Stilnovo Arredoluce. Stilnovo Wall Lamps perfect as kitchen wall lamps or as a reading light. Handmade lamp structure in brass and sh...
Brass
Set of 2 Magari Kitchen Wall Lamp Stilnovo style in Bronze, White and Brass
By Gino Sarfatti
Located in Bromma, SE
Pair of Wall Lamps in the Style of Italian 50’s Stilnovo Arredoluce. Stilnovo Wall Lamps perfect as kitchen wall lamps or as a reading light. Handmade lamp structure in brass and sha...
Brass
Early 1158 Coupe Wall Lamp by Joe Colombo For Oluce, 1960s
By Oluce, Joe Colombo
Located in Hagenbach, DE
This striking 1158 Coupé wall lamp was designed by Joe Colombo for Oluce in the 1960s and remains a true icon of mid-century modern design. Featuring a bold red lacquered aluminum sh...
Metal
1950s Adjustable Wall Lamp by Maison Arlus in brass, metal, and rattan
By Maison Arlus
Located in Victoria, BC
This adjustable wall lamp was produced by Maison Arlus in France during the 1950s. The structure combines brass and painted metal elements with a woven rattan shade, creating a clear...
Metal, Brass
Pair of Wall Lamps Model 2351 by Paavo Tynell for Idman, Finland, 1950s
By Idman Oy, Paavo Tynell
Located in Karis, Nyland
A pair of Finnish mid-century wall lamps designed by Paavo Tynell, model 2351, produced by Idman in the 1950s.
Metal, Brass
Italian D.I.W. “Pen” Wall Lamp in Aqua Opaline Glass, 1960s
Located in Toronto, CA
Rare and highly sculptural Italian wall light by D.I.W., inspired by the form of a fountain pen and produced in the 1960s–1970s. This distinctive sconce features a tubular aqua opali...
Metal, Chrome
Flexible wall light with brass arms, matte off-white ceramic pieces
By Manolo Eirin
Located in Carballo, ES
Wall sconce made from two pieces of broken, matte white ceramic. The ceramic is made in Buño, the most important artisan village in Spain and one of the most renowned in Europe. The ...
Brass
Pale Yellow Dutch Modern Wall Sconce / Table Lamp by Philips
By Philips
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Versatile adjustable Dutch reading / table lamp or wall sconce by Philips (ca. 1950s, Netherlands). Composed of a soft yellow triangular shade mounted to a painted black metal base ...
Metal
Pair of 1960s Perforated Brass & Metal Wall Lamps for Falkenbergs Belysning
By Falkenbergs Belysning
Located in Glendale, CA
Pair of 1960s Perforated Brass & Metal Wall Lamps for Falkenbergs Belysning. Executed in attractively patinated perforated brass shade with black painted metal backing, these highly...
Metal, Brass
Wall light white metal by Elio Martinelli for Martinelli Luce, Italia, 1960
By Elio Martinelli, Martinelli Luce
Located in Nicolosi, IT
Wall light white metal by Elio Martinelli for Martinelli Luce, Italia, 1960 The wall lamp designed by Elio Martinelli for Martinelli Luce in the 1960s is an iconic piece of Mid-Centu...
Metal
Le Klint Scissors Sax Scone / Wall Lamp by Erik Hansen, Model 332, Denmark 1970s
By Erik Hansen, Le Klint
Located in Helsinki, FI
A beautiful vintage example of the iconic Model 332 wall lamp, designed by Erik Hansen for Le Klint in 1952. Commonly referred to as the “Sax” or scissor lamp, this enduring Danish d...
Fabric, Beech
Upsala Armaturfabrik adjustable modernist wall lamp, steel & brass, Sweden, 1940
By Uppsala Armaturfabrik
Located in Forserum, SE
A mid-century modern wall lamp produced by the Swedish manufacturer Upsala Armaturfabrik in the 1940s. The lamp features a shallow dome shaped shade suspended from a tapered socket h...
Brass, Steel
Paavo Tynell Brass Wall Lamp Model 10304 Light Taito Oy Finland. 50s Rare
By Paavo Tynell, Taito
Located in Peoria, AZ
Magnificent! Mid Century Legendary Paavo Tynell Brass Swing Arm Lamp Articulating Starlight Shade Taito Finland A rare swing arm lamp by Paavo Tynell for Taito! This lamp is the...
Metal, Brass, Copper
Atlas 90-Degree Wall Lamp in Darkened Brass and Oiled Walnut
By Coil + Drift
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This wall-mounted lamp is comprised of an independently-swiveling 90-degree arm with a clamp that makes ideal for reading in bed or on the sofa. The darkened brass rods can be adjust...
Brass
Adjustable Brass Wall Lamp by Lisa Johansson-Pape for Orno, Finland, 1950s
By Lisa Johansson-Pape, Orno Oy
Located in Karis, Nyland
Rare, elegant and highly functional adjustable wall lamp designed by Lisa Johansson-Pape for Orno, Finland, during the 1950s. Crafted from polished brass, the lamp features a beautif...
Brass
Pair of Scandinavian Modern Wall Lamps in Copper by Hans Bergström, 1940s
By Hans Bergström
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
The rare wall lamps model 1006A, designed by Hans Bergström and produced by Ateljé Lyktan in Åhus, Sweden during the 1940s, exemplify the early stages of Scandinavian modern lighting...
Copper
1960s Model #8260 Black Metal and Brass Wall Lamp for Falkenbergs Belysning
By Falkenbergs Belysning
Located in Glendale, CA
1960s Model #8260 Black Metal and Brass Wall Lamp for Falkenbergs Belysning. Executed in black painted perforated metal shade with brass hardware, this highly adjustable wall light ...
Metal, Brass
$2,041Sale Price|20% Off
Midcentury Wooden Lamp Wall-Mounted and Rotatable, Shade in Andrew Martin Linen
Located in Vienna, Austria
A lovely example of a midcentury wall lamp from the 1950s. A simple, functional design. Used as reading lamp, it can be mounted on the wall, and is rotable by 180 degrees. Produced ...
Oak
Oak Wall Lamp by Uno & Östen Kristiansson, Luxus Vittsjö, Sweden 1950's
By Uno & Östen Kristiansson, Luxus Vittsjö
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Oak Wall Lamp by Uno & Östen Kristiansson, Luxus Vittsjö, Sweden 1950's This Oak and opal glass wall lamp by Uno & Östen Kristiansson is a very unique design. A molded wooden oak "L...
Opaline Glass, Oak
Space Age Gaetano Sciolari Style Pair Italian Chrome-Plated Brass Wall Sconces
By Gaetano Sciolari
Located in Prato, Tuscany
We kindly recommend reading the entire description, as we aim to provide detailed technical and historical information to guarantee the authenticity of our items. This is an original...
Crystal, Brass
Pair of Scandinavian Modern Wall Lamps, 1960s Adjustable Cone Shades in Black
Located in Hannover, DE
This stylish set of two wall lamps embodies the timeless charm of 1960s Scandinavian modernism. The lamps impress with their clean lines and functional aesthetic, which are character...
Brass, Iron
Perforated Brass Shade & Opaline Glass Wall Light by Valinte Oy, Finland, 1950s
By Paavo Tynell, Valinte Oy
Located in Karis, Nyland
A rare Finnish wall light designed and produced by Valinte Oy in the 1950s, exemplifying the refined functionality and material quality characteristic of mid-century Scandinavian lig...
Brass
Pair of Swedish Pine Wall Lamps by Markslöjd, 1970s, with Textile Shades
By Markslöjd
Located in Stockholm, SE
A charming pair of Swedish wall lamps in solid pine, produced by Markslöjd, showcasing the warmth and craftsmanship of Scandinavian design from the 1970s. Each lamp features a sculp...
Fabric, Pine
Pair of Böhlmarks Model 8845 Wall Lamps, Brass & Grey Lacquered Metal, Sweden
By Arvid Böhlmarks Lampfabrik
Located in Stockholm, SE
A refined pair of Swedish mid-century modern wall lamps, model 8845, designed and produced by Arvid Böhlmarks Lampfabrik in the 1950s. These elegant sconces embody the clean, functi...
Metal, Brass
Jean Louis Domecq Jielde Vintage Pair Sconces Graphit Lampe France Wall Lamp
By Jean Louis Domecq, Jielde
Located in Lège Cap Ferret, FR
It all starts when Jean-Louis Domecq designs a lamp adapted to the needs of his activity, a simple, robust, articulated lamp with no cables in its joints. Its system by circular a...
Metal, Aluminum
$6,880Sale Price / set|20% Off
Greta Von Nessen Pair of Adjustable NS 945 Swing Arm Wall Lamps, circa 1950
By Greta Von Nessen, Nessen Studio
Located in Camden, ME
Greta Von Nessen pair of model NS945 swing arm wall lamps designed in 1949 for Von Nessen Studio. The lamps have their original off-white (now light crème from UV exposure) baked en...
Chrome, Steel
Ancora W3 Contemporary Brass Articulating Double Wall Sconce, Flow Collection
By Jonathan Amar
Located in Paris, FR
The Ancora W3 is a solid brass double wall light with a leather sheathed stem detail. The main structure tops a hand-woven wicker shade and the directional stem features a conic shad...
Brass
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 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.
From the kitchen to the bedroom and everywhere in between, there is one major part of home decor that you definitely want to master: lighting. Carefully selected vintage sconces and wall lights can do wonders in establishing mood and highlighting your distinctive personality.
We’re a long way from the candelabra-inspired chandeliers of the medieval era. Lighting is no longer merely practical, and lighting designers have been creating and reinventing lighting solutions for eons. Because of the advancements crafted by these venturesome makers, we now have the opportunity to bring unique, customizable lighting solutions into our homes.
It’s never been easier to create dramatic bedrooms, cozy kitchen areas and cheerful bars than it is today. Think of an elegant wall sconce as functional and as a work of art, adding both light and style to your hallways, whimsical kids’ rooms and elsewhere.
When choosing a lighting solution, first determine what your needs are: Will you opt for a moody or a bright feel? The room that will serve as your home office will need adequate lighting — think “the brighter, the better” for this particular setting.
For the bedroom, bedside wall lamps with warm-temperature bulbs instead of bedside table lamps could be the way to go to induce a sense of calm or intimacy. Try to match the style of the wall light or sconce that you’re installing to the overall design scheme of your room. It’s never “just a light.” You should approach the lighting of a room with a mindset that is one part practical and one part aesthetics-driven.
Let 1stDibs help you set the mood with the right antique and vintage wall lights and sconces for your home. Our collection includes every kind of fixture, from sculptural works by Austrian craftsman J.T. Kalmar to chic industrial-style wall sconces, from adjustable painted aluminum wall lamps designed by Artemide to a wide variety of minimalist mid-century modern masterpieces.
The alluring pendant light exemplifies the designer’s winsome mid-career work.
Patrizio Chiarparini of Brooklyn’s Duplex gallery sheds light on the lasting legacy of Italy’s postwar furniture boom.
There are many lessons to be learned from the lofts, apartments and townhouses of architects and decorators in Manhattan and beyond.
Having created extravagant homes for reality TV’s biggest stars, the designer is stepping into the spotlight with his first book.
The Louisiana-born and -bred architect talks to 1stdibs about the art of making timeless places that matter.
The Palm Springs interior decorator developed a mid-century style that defined the vacation homes of celebrities and other notables, including Bob Hope and Lucille Ball.
The houses from this New York studio cloak modernist tendencies within what are often more traditional trappings.
In the market for a fantastic fixture from the 1940s, ’50s or ’60s? Here are some names to know.