$799Sale Price|20% Off
Italian Table Lamp by Michele De Lucchi & Gallardo Fassina for Artemide
By Artemide, Michele de Lucchi
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
Designed by Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina, the Tolomeo Mini Table Lamp features the same award-winning engineering and full adjustability found in the classic versions of t...
Metal
Artemide Tolomeo Mini LED Floor Lamp in Aluminum
By Giancarlo Fassina, Artemide, Michele de Lucchi
Located in Hicksville, NY
An extension to the iconic Tolomeo family, Tolomeo floor combines the body of the Tolomeo table lamp with a floor standing support, allowing for a floor lighting solution that provid...
Aluminum, Steel, Stainless Steel
Artemide Tolomeo Mini Floor Lamp in Aluminum with Base
By Giancarlo Fassina, Artemide, Michele de Lucchi
Located in Hicksville, NY
An extension to the iconic Tolomeo family, Tolomeo floor combines the body of the Tolomeo table lamp with a floor standing support, allowing for a floor lighting solution that provid...
Aluminum, Steel, Stainless Steel
Artemide Tolomeo Mini Table Lamp in Black with Clamp
By Giancarlo Fassina, Artemide, Michele de Lucchi
Located in Hicksville, NY
“No desk lamp should make you use two hands to position it.” Michele De Lucchi. A study in balance and movement, the Tolomeo table lamp is designed for a fully adjustable direction o...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Artemide Tolomeo Mini Table Lamp in White with Clamp
By Giancarlo Fassina, Artemide, Michele de Lucchi
Located in Hicksville, NY
“No desk lamp should make you use two hands to position it.” Michele De Lucchi. A study in balance and movement, the Tolomeo table lamp is designed for a fully adjustable direction o...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Artemide Tolomeo Mini Table Lamp in Aluminum with Clamp
By Giancarlo Fassina, Artemide, Michele de Lucchi
Located in Hicksville, NY
“No desk lamp should make you use two hands to position it.” Michele De Lucchi. A study in balance and movement, the Tolomeo table lamp is designed for a fully adjustable direction o...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Unavailable
H 22.45 in W 5.91 in D 27.96 in
Artemide Tolomeo Mini Wall Light with S Bracket in Aluminum
By Giancarlo Fassina, Artemide, Michele de Lucchi
Located in Hicksville, NY
An extension to the iconic Tolomeo family, Tolomeo wall combines the body of the Tolomeo table lamp with a surface or j-box mounting wall support, allowing for a wall lighting soluti...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Artemide Tolomeo Mini Wall Light with J Bracket in White
By Giancarlo Fassina, Artemide, Michele de Lucchi
Located in Hicksville, NY
An extension to the iconic Tolomeo family, Tolomeo wall combines the body of the Tolomeo table lamp with a surface or j-box mounting wall support, allowing for a wall lighting soluti...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Artemide Tolomeo Mini Wall Light with J Bracket in Black
By Giancarlo Fassina, Artemide, Michele de Lucchi
Located in Hicksville, NY
An extension to the iconic Tolomeo family, Tolomeo wall combines the body of the Tolomeo table lamp with a surface or j-box mounting wall support, allowing for a wall lighting soluti...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Unavailable
H 22.45 in W 5.91 in D 27.96 in
Artemide Tolomeo Mini Wall Light with J Bracket in Aluminum
By Giancarlo Fassina, Artemide, Michele de Lucchi
Located in Hicksville, NY
An extension to the iconic Tolomeo family, Tolomeo wall combines the body of the Tolomeo table lamp with a surface or j-box mounting wall support, allowing for a wall lighting soluti...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Tolomeo Mini Table Lamp by Michele De Lucchi for Artemide
By Artemide, Michele de Lucchi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Michele De Lucchi's design work spans many disciplines from lighting, architecture, Industrial Design, to lap tops. Of all his designs, the Tolomeo stands as one of his greatest desi...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Unavailable
H 43.31 in W 5.91 in D 40.16 in
Artemide Tolomeo Mini LED Table Lamp with Clamp in Aluminum
By Giancarlo Fassina, Michele de Lucchi, Artemide
Located in Hicksville, NY
“No desk lamp should make you use two hands to position it.” - Michele De Lucchi. A study in balance and movement, the Tolomeo table lamp is designed for a fully adjustable direction...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Unavailable
H 21.26 in W 5.91 in D 26.78 in
Artemide Tolomeo Mini Table Lamp in Aluminum with Inset Pivot
By Giancarlo Fassina, Michele de Lucchi, Artemide
Located in Hicksville, NY
“No desk lamp should make you use two hands to position it.” Michele De Lucchi. A study in balance and movement, the Tolomeo table lamp is designed for a fully adjustable direction o...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Unavailable
H 21.26 in W 5.91 in D 26.78 in
Artemide Tolomeo Mini LED Table Lamp in Aluminum with Base
By Giancarlo Fassina, Michele de Lucchi, Artemide
Located in Hicksville, NY
“No desk lamp should make you use two hands to position it.” Michele De Lucchi. A study in balance and movement, the Tolomeo table lamp is designed for a fully adjustable direction o...
Aluminum, Steel, Stainless Steel
Unavailable
H 21.26 in W 5.91 in D 26.78 in
Artemide Tolomeo Mini Table Lamp in Black with Inset Pivot
By Giancarlo Fassina, Michele de Lucchi, Artemide
Located in Hicksville, NY
“No desk lamp should make you use two hands to position it.” Michele De Lucchi. A study in balance and movement, the Tolomeo table lamp is designed for a fully adjustable direction o...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Unavailable
H 21.26 in W 5.91 in D 26.78 in
Artemide Tolomeo Mini Table Lamp in White with Inset Pivot
By Giancarlo Fassina, Michele de Lucchi, Artemide
Located in Hicksville, NY
“No desk lamp should make you use two hands to position it.” Michele De Lucchi. A study in balance and movement, the Tolomeo table lamp is designed for a fully adjustable direction o...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Unavailable
H 13.02 in W 2.95 in D 4.04 in
Tolomeo Mini "S" Bracket Lamp by Michele De Lucchi & Giancarlo Fassina
By Artemide, Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina
Located in Hicksville, NY
An extension to the iconic Tolomeo family, Tolomeo wall combines the body of the Tolomeo table lamp with a surface or J-box mounting wall support, allowing for a wall lighting soluti...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Tolomeo Mini Table Lamp by Michele de Lucchi for Artemide, Italy
By Michele de Lucchi, Artemide
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Michele de Lucchi's design work spans many disciplines from lighting, architecture, industrial design, to lap tops. Of all his designs, the Tolomeo stands as one of his greatest desi...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Unavailable
H 43.71 in W 27.96 in D 5.91 in
Tolomeo Mini Black "S" Bracket Lamp by Michele De Lucchi & Giancarlo Fassina
By Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina, Artemide
Located in Hicksville, NY
An extension to the iconic Tolomeo family, Tolomeo wall combines the body of the Tolomeo table lamp with a surface or j-box mounting wall support, allowing for a wall lighting soluti...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Unavailable
H 43.71 in W 27.96 in D 5.91 in
Tolomeo Mini White "S" Bracket Lamp by Michele De Lucchi & Giancarlo Fassina
By Artemide, Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina
Located in Hicksville, NY
An extension to the iconic Tolomeo family, Tolomeo wall combines the body of the Tolomeo table lamp with a surface or j-box mounting wall support, allowing for a wall lighting soluti...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Unavailable
H 43.31 in W 40.16 in D 5.91 in
Tolomeo Mini Lamp with Gray Base by Michele De Lucchi & Giancarlo Fassina
By Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina, Artemide
Located in Hicksville, NY
No desk lamp should make you use two hands to position it.” Michele De Lucchi A study in balance and movement, the Tolomeo table lamp is designed for a fully adjustable direction of...
Aluminum, Steel, Stainless Steel
Unavailable
H 43.25 in Dm 8 in
Dimmable LED Tolomeo Mini Table Lamp by Michele De Lucchi for Artemide, Italy
By Artemide, Michele de Lucchi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Michele De Lucchi's design work spans many disciplines from lighting, architecture, Industrial Design, to lap tops. Of all his designs, the Tolomeo stands as one of his greatest desi...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Unavailable
H 43.31 in W 40.16 in D 5.91 in
Tolomeo Gray Mini Pivot Lamp by Michele De Lucchi & Giancarlo Fassina
By Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina, Artemide
Located in Hicksville, NY
No desk lamp should make you use two hands to position it.” Michele De Lucchi A study in balance and movement, the Tolomeo table lamp is designed for a fully adjustable direction of...
Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Tolomeo Mini Wall Light by Michelle De Lucci for Artemide
By Giancarlo Fassina, Artemide
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Tolomeo Mini Wall Light with J Bracket features a fully articulated arm, body structure and diffuser in extruded natural anodized Aluminum.
Aluminum
$1,174
H 31.5 in W 14.97 in D 14.97 in
'Aggregate' Table Lamp by Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide
By Giancarlo Fassina, Artemide, Enzo Mari
Located in Hellouw, NL
Nice Adjustable 'Aggregate' table lamp by Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide, the 1970s. This lamp is an impressive addition to your table or desk. The base is made from bl...
Iron
Model 200 Table Lamp by Giuseppe Ostuni for Oluce
By Oluce, Giuseppe Ostuni
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Model 200 table lamp by Giuseppe Ostuni for Oluce. Designed in Italy, circa 1950s. Wired for the US. We recommend one E12 base 75w maximum bulb.
Brass, Aluminum, Steel
Daphine Table Lamp by Tommaso Cimini
By Tommaso Cimini
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Daphine table lamp by Tommaso Cimini. Current production manufactured in Italy, by Lumina. Brushed nickel, varnished cast iron base. Wired for U.S. standards. Since 1975 this lamp ha...
Nickel
$476
H 25.2 in W 4.34 in D 18.12 in
Italian modern table lamp Daphine Classic by Tommaso Cimini for Lumina, 2010s
By Tommaso Cimini, Lumina
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern table lamp Daphine Classic by Tommaso Cimini for Lumina, 2010s Adjustable table lamp model Daphine Classic in black painted metal. The compact base, complete with a sw...
Metal
Enzo Mari & Giancarlo Fassina Aggregato Table Lamp for Artemide, 1974
Located in BARCELONA, ES
Iconic “Aggregato Tavolo” table lamp, designed in 1974 by Enzo Mari and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide, Italy. The Aggregato series is one of the most distinctive examples of modula...
Metal
$775
H 37.5 in W 19.75 in D 10 in
Enzo Mari & Giancarlo Fassina "Aggregato" Task Light For Artemide, 1970s
By Giancarlo Fassina, Artemide, Enzo Mari
Located in Skokie, IL
Enzo Mari & Giancarlo Fassina "Aggregato" Adjustable Task Light for Artemide, Italy 1970s. Additional information: Dimensions: 19.75" W x 10" D x 37.5" H
Aluminum, Steel
Mid-Century Modern Table Lamp by Riccardo Blumer, Italy, 1960
By Artemide, Riccardo Blumer
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A grey, vintage Mid-Century Modern Italian table lamp made of hand crafted brushed aluminum, designed by Riccardo Blumer and produced by Artemide, featuring a one light socket in goo...
Metal, Aluminum
Artemide Tolomeo Desk Lamp.
By Artemide
Located in Nantwich, GB
This Artemide Tolomeo dest lamp was designed by both Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina in 1987 as a reinterpretation of the lighting used in factories during the age of indust...
Metal
Mid-Century Modern Table Lamp by Arteluce, Metal, Italy, 1970
By Arteluce
Located in Milano, IT
1970s Stunning black gorgeous architect table Lamp by Arteluce in metal with a double-articulated arm and an adjustable shade for targeted lighting. Made in Italy. The lamp is in exc...
Metal
Mid-Century Modern Table Lamp by Veneta Lumi, Metal, Italy, 1970s
By Veneta Lumi
Located in Milano, IT
1970s Gorgeous white space age table lamp by Veneta Lumi. Made in Italy. The lamp works perfectly, some signs of aging on it but however in very good condition. Dimensions: 6,29" x ...
Metal
$4,311
H 16.93 in Dm 14.97 in
An Iconic RADICAL MODERNIST TABLE LAMP by BBPR, ed. ARTEMIDE, Italy 1970
By Studio BBPR
Located in PARIS, FR
An iconic table lamp, Minimalist, Modernist, Space-Age, structure in chrome-plated metal, thick glass with geometric reliefs, encircled with an aerial lampshade Saturn-ring-like, by ...
Metal, Chrome
$150 / item
H 23.15 in W 4.5 in D 6.75 in
2000s Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide Tolomeo Table Lamps
By Artemide, Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina
Located in Philadelphia, PA
These are Tolomeo Micro Desk Mount Table Lamps, originally designed by Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide in 1987. These particular examples date to the 2000s. The ...
Aluminum
Tempestini style Desk Lamp
By Maurizio Tempestini
Located in South Charleston, WV
18" tall, 9" wide, 15" deep. Unknown maker, with strong design elements normally seen with Maurizio Tempestini designs. Either 1960's American or Italian production featuring a coun...
Steel
$18,600 / item
H 103.15 in W 39.38 in D 114.97 in
Michael De Lucchi Monumental 'Tolomeo XXL' Indoor or Outdoor Lamp for Artemide
By Artemide, Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Michael De Lucchi Monumental 'Tolomeo XXL' indoor or outdoor lamp for Artemide The famous Tolomeo, icon of the Italian Design, made giant. In scale 4:1 relative to the table model, ...
Concrete, Aluminum, Stainless Steel
Monachella table lamp by Luigi Caccia Dominioni for Azucena, Italy 1950s
By Luigi Caccia Dominioni, Azucena
Located in Piacenza, Italy
Mid-century Monachella table lamp designed by Luigi Caccia Dominioni for Azucena in 1950s. This table version retains the essential character of the original design, translating it i...
Metal, Aluminum, Brass
$14,182
H 25.6 in W 21.66 in D 11.03 in
French Mid Century Table Desk Lamp by Serge Mouille for Steph Simon Paris, 1950s
By Serge Mouille, Steph Simon
Located in Stockholm, SE
Very rare French mid century table / desk lamp in black lacquered metal and brass details by Serge Mouille for Steph Simon Paris, 1950s. In great condition. A true collector piece. ...
Metal, Brass
$35,200 / set
H 23.63 in W 35.44 in D 35.44 in
Mario Bellini "Camaleonda" Sofa for B&B Italia, Blue Velvet, 1970, Set of 6
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Mario Bellini "Camaleonda" modular sofa for B&B Italia, blue velvet, Italy, 1970, set of six. "Camaleonda" is an icon, rediscovered. First designed in 1970 by Mario Bellini, it...
Plastic, Velvet
$16,000 / set
H 28.35 in W 48.04 in D 35.04 in
Mario Bellini “Le Bambole” Armchairs for B&B Italia, Mohair, 1971, Set of 2
By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Mario Bellini “Le Bambole” armchairs for B&B Italia, mohair velvet, Italy, 1971, set of two. The search for a new shape for upholstered furniture: all parts are shaped like a la...
Velvet
$23,826
H 76.78 in W 39.38 in D 5.91 in
Ettore Sottsass 1st Series Ultrafragola Mirror Object 1970 for Poltronova Milano
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Munster, NRW
Original 1st edition model of the Ultrafragola Mirror designed by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova. Light up mirror with acrylic shell made of layered waves around the central mirror...
Plastic
$32,500
H 27 in W 144 in D 38 in
4 Piece Gray Velvet Corduroy 'Camaleonda' Sofa by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia
By C&B Italia, B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Los Angeles, CA
4 Piece 'Camaleonda' sofa in gray velvet fabric Designed by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, 1970. The modular sofa comes with three 36” wide seats and one 25” smaller seat. All seats c...
Metal
$39,500 / set
H 25.99 in W 96.46 in D 40.95 in
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina 'Soriana' Sofa with Ottoman in Cognac Leather
By Cassina, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina, 'Soriana' sofa with ottoman, leather, chrome-plated steel, Italy, 1969 Iconic design by Italian designer couple Afra & Tobia Scarpa. The ‘Soriana’ p...
Steel, Chrome
$36,800 / set
H 23.63 in W 23.63 in D 35.44 in
Mario Bellini “Camaleonda” Sofa for B&B Italia, Cognac Leather, 1970, Set of 6
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Mario Bellini "Camaleonda" modular sofa for B&B Italia, cognac leather, Italy, 1970, set of six. “Camaleonda” is an icon, rediscovered. It was one of the truly modular sofa desi...
Leather
Maralunga Sofa + Ottoman by Vico Magistretti for Cassina
By Vico Magistretti, Cassina
Located in Chicago, IL
c. 1970s. Italy. Price is for the set. Contact us if you’d like to purchase a single item. New Maharam Memory by Patricia Urquiola upholstery with articulating backrests. Tagged. O...
Upholstery
$18,000 / set
H 27.56 in W 40.16 in D 40.16 in
Michel Ducaroy “Togo” Modular Sofa for Ligne Roset, Burgundy, 1973, Set of 4
By Ligne Roset, Michel Ducaroy
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Michel Ducaroy “Togo” modular sofa for Ligne Roset, burgundy leather and foam, France, 1973, set of four. Togo, by Ligne Roset, is a historic armchair, designed in 1973 by Michel Du...
Leather, Foam
Akari floor lamp bb3 55d designed by Isamu Noguchi
By Isamu Noguchi, Ozeki & Co. Ltd. 1
Located in Offenburg, Baden Wurthemberg
BB3 floor lamp with Washi Paper lampshade designed by Isamu Noguchi. Manufactured by Ozeki, Japan. This floor lamp features a white Washi paper lampshade, a bamboo shaft and a sphe...
Steel
Sofa by Vladimir Kagan for Roche Bobois, France, 2003
By Roche Bobois, Vladimir Kagan
Located in Antwerp, BE
This "Comete" sofa, a futurist and asymmetric marvel designed by Vladimir Kagan for Roche Bobois in 2003, redefines modern elegance and luxurious comfort. It features two large secti...
Wool, Alpaca, Cotton
$85,000 / set
H 26.78 in W 35.44 in D 61.03 in
Ubald Klug DS-1025 "Terrazza" Sofa for De Sede, Black Leather, 1974, Set of 4
By De Sede, Ubald Klug
Located in Lonigo, Veneto
Ubald Klug DS-1025 "Terrazza" sofas for De Sede, black leather, Switzerland, 1974, set of four. Ubald Klug designed this rare modular DS-1025 "Terrazza" sofa as a real living landsc...
Leather
$17,586 / set
H 30.71 in W 66.93 in D 37.8 in
Mario Bellini two sofas Model "Le Bambole" for B&B Italia, Italy, 1970s
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Chiavari, Liguria
Pair of fabric sofas, from the Le Bambole series, designed by Mario Bellini in 1972, Italian production, bearing the B&B brand. The 1970s marked a period of significant cultural and...
Fabric, Bouclé
$10,853 / set
H 28.75 in W 31.5 in D 34.65 in
Mario Bellini Bambole Chairs, Upholstered in Alpaca, B&B Italia, 1970s
By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
A Mario Bellini Le Bambole pair of chairs, produced by B&B Italia, Italy in the 1970s, newly upholstered in luxurious 100% alpaca. Dims: H 73cm D 88cm W 80cm SH 40/41cm
Alpaca
$17,908 / set
H 29.14 in W 45.28 in D 35.44 in
Mario Bellini Le Bambole Lounge Chairs, Upholstered in Alpaca, B&B Italia, 1970s
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Lewes, East Sussex
A beautiful large pair of Mario Bellini Le Bambole lounge chairs, newly upholstered in a premium ivory 100% Alpaca fabric, produced by B&B Italia, Italy in the 1970s. Makers mar...
Alpaca
$32,150
H 76.78 in W 39.38 in D 5.91 in
Early Ultrafragola Mirror by Ettore Sottsass for Poltronova, Italy, 1970s
By Ettore Sottsass, Poltronova
Located in Antwerp, BE
The iconic Ultrafragola mirror by Ettore Sottsass is both a functional mirror and an illuminated art piece, embodying the playful, sensual curves of the Memphis movement. Originally ...
Plastic
Travertine Cube Coffee Table
Located in Denton, TX
Modernist Travertine cube coffee table on casters with a glass top. Glass top is optional.
Travertine
Artemide is an iconic firm in the design world. The mid-century Italian company is one of the best known lighting manufacturers and its award-winning fixtures are held in museum collections everywhere. Vintage Artemide table lamps, pendants, ceiling lamps and other lighting represent a thoughtful merge between functionalism and eye-catching design.
Artemide, which is based in Pregnana, was founded by Ernesto Gismondi and Sergio Mazza in 1959. During that year, Mazza created the first table lamp for the manufacturer — a modernist work in glass, marble and metal that he called the Alfa. Gismondi, who studied aeronautical engineering at the Polytechnic University of Milan and missile engineering at Rome’s Professional School of Engineering, applied his knowledge of cutting edge technology and materials such as fiberglass resin to Artemide’s designs for lighting and furniture.
In 1967, Artemide won Italy’s Compasso d'Oro design award for its Eclisse table lamp, which was designed by Vico Magistretti two years earlier. Other award-winning fixtures include the Tizio table lamp designed by Richard Sapper and the Tolomeo table lamp.
Designed by Michele de Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina, the Tolomeo featured the patented George Carwardine mechanism used in the original Anglepoise lamp. De Lucchi would later be recruited to join visionary postmodern design collective the Memphis Group. Artemide’s Gismondi purchased the brand after founder Ettore Sottsass dismantled the collective in 1988, and it was bought by Alberto Bianchi Albrici in 1996.
Artemide’s list of design, innovation, sustainability and other industry awards is long and distinguished. The firm continues to actively collaborate with internationally revered designers and seek out new talent through workshops with design schools. The company’s deeply held values — energy-saving lighting, sustainable design and ethically sourced materials — characterize its current offerings, and Artemide furniture and lighting can be found in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art and other institutions.
On 1stDibs, find Artemide tables, seating, floor lamps, chandeliers and more.
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”
Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.
Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair — crafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.
It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.
The right table lamp, outwardly sculptural chandelier or understated wall pendant can work wonders for your home. While we’re indebted to thinkers like Thomas Edison for critically important advancements in lighting and electricity, we’re still finding new ways to customize illumination to fit our personal spaces all these years later. A wide range of antique and vintage lighting can be found on 1stDibs.
Today, lighting designers like the self-taught Bec Brittain have used the flexible structure of LEDs to craft glamorous solutions by working with what is typically considered a harsh lighting source. By integrating glass and mirrors, reflection can be used to soften the glow from LEDs and warmly welcome light into any space.
Although contemporary innovators continue to impress, some of the classics can’t be beat.
Just as gazing at the stars allows you to glimpse the universe’s past, vintage chandeliers like those designed by Gino Sarfatti and J. & L. Lobmeyr, for example, put on a similarly stunning show, each with a rich story to tell.
As dazzling as it is, the Arco lamp, on the other hand, prioritizes functionality — it’s wholly mobile, no drilling required. Designed in 1962 by architect-product designers Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, the piece takes the traditional form of a streetlamp and creates an elegant, arching floor fixture for at-home use.
There is no shortage of modernist lighting similarly prized by collectors and casual enthusiasts alike — there are Art Deco table lamps created in a universally appreciated style, the Tripod floor lamp by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, Greta Magnusson Grossman's sleek and minimalist Grasshopper lamps and, of course, the wealth of mid-century experimental lighting that emerged from Italian artisans at Arredoluce, FLOS and many more are hallmarks in illumination innovation.
With decades of design evolution behind it, home lighting is no longer just practical. Crystalline shaping by designers like Gabriel Scott turns every lighting apparatus into a luxury accessory. A new installation doesn’t merely showcase a space; carefully chosen ceiling lights, table lamps and floor lamps can create a mood, spotlight a favorite piece or highlight your unique personality.
The sparkle that your space has been missing is waiting for you amid the growing collection of antique, vintage and contemporary lighting for sale on 1stDibs.