Founded in 1904 in New York and family-operated through most of its history, Lightolier was one of the pioneering American electric lighting companies, best known for its embrace of stylistic and technical innovations.
Collectors focus on vintage Lightolier lighting fixtures produced from the 1950s and into the 1970s, when an in-house design team led by Gerald Thurston — and a stellar cast of international design contributors — created an array of practical yet aesthetically lively table lamps, floor lamps, sconces and chandeliers.
Amidst the post-World War II building boom, Lightolier — the name combines “light” and “chandelier” — aggressively boosted its residential lighting division. Thurston, who was strongly influenced by the sleek designs of Gino Sarfatti and his Italian lighting firm Arteluce, towards simpler lamp designs that offered flexibility of function. His best-known designs include the Cricket task light — a lamp with an adjustable enameled metal hood that toggles on a slender bent-metal base — and the three-legged Tripod floor lamp. At the same time, Thurston had a wonderful eye for talent and sought work from some of the lesser-known greats of the era, such as Paavo Tynell, the Finnish lighting designer, who designed several brass chandeliers for Lightolier with his trademark elegant flamboyance.
And more, Thurston recognized abilities in designers not known for their work in lighting.
Edward Wormley, head of furniture design for Dunbar, produced several noteworthy chandeliers employing canisters and reflective hoods. Alvin Lustig was famed as a graphic designer. His ca. 1953 Ring ceiling fixture for Lightolier had a minimalist techno look some 30 years ahead of its time. But this was par. Designed by Michael Lax in 1964, the Lytegem high-intensity lamp — included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art — features a ball-shaped shade attached with a chromed armature to a cubic base, a form that would be widely copied in the following decade. Chandeliers designed in the early 1970s by Gaetano Sciolari, with details such as acrylic diffusers and vertical, two-bulb arms, would define the look of lighting in their day.
A look through these pages reveals just how astonishingly wide a range of lighting pieces Lightolier produced. The company never flicked off its stylistic switch.
Find a collection of vintage Lightolier lamps and other lighting fixtures on 1stDibs.
Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Bisque Pottery & Eliptical Black Gloss Table Lamp
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Incised Black & Off White Table Ceramic Lamp. Featuring curved hourglass, pitcher form, matte Off White Bisque (5.5D) body, Black glazed oviform decora...
Marble, Brass
$2,000Sale Price|20% Off
Lightolier Heathered Taupe and Striped Pottery Table Lamp
By Lightolier
Located in Chicago, IL
Modernist urn form table lamp with a heathered glaze pottery body, footed wood base and brass spacer. Brass stem with a three socket up light mechanism that was a Lightolier hallmark...
Brass, Metal
Thurston for Lightolier Table Lamp
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in New York, NY
Classic Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Mid-Century Modern table lamp. Brass colored metal with faux wood insert trim, on teardrop form base. Wo...
Metal
Gerald Thurston Canister Reflector Lamp for Lightolier
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Denton, TX
Aluminum cylinder with black metal base and pleated interior by Gerald Thurston. Best used as a floor up light to create a moody ambiance or to highlight a architechual element in th...
Metal, Aluminum
Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Ceramic and Brass Table Lamp
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in New York, NY
Elegant and chic, quilted ceramic body with brass base and top. Excellent overall condition, slight bruise on brass base, as shown. Base accepts three bulbs to provide ample light. S...
Brass
Mid-Century Modern Floor / Table Lamps by Lightolier Mood & Accent Lighting 1965
By Lightolier
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Great pair of Lightolier accent lamps to be placed on the floor or low tables to create mood backdrop lighting. Canisters could use a paint job, age related wear. Wiring is sound. Ca...
Metal
Pair Gerald Thurston Lightolier Black Iron Tripod Table Lamps with Glass Shades
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Pair of Gerald Thurston for Lightolier black and white table lamps, 1950s. Featuring balanced black enameled steel tripod legs, socket and neck, period white milk glass shades atop r...
Steel
Pair or Mid Century Modern Tripod Table Lamps by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Spectacular pair of Mid Century Modern Sculptural tripod table lamps by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier C1955. In amazing original condition with the original shades. Brass is still l...
Brass, Sheet Metal
$220Sale Price|20% Off
Rare Space Age Lightolier Desk Table Lamp
By Lightolier
Located in San Diego, CA
Adjustable desk table desk lamp made in Japan with rotating shade and goes up and down, in perfect working condition. The plastic has been polished looks great the chrome pole shows ...
Chrome
Lightolier Atomic Sputnik Ball Table Lamp
By Lightolier
Located in Palm Springs, CA
A great table lamp with its original globe shades out of a nice Palm Springs Estate. This 1970’s Lightolier fixture still has a few of its labels. I only had one bulb to light it up...
Metal
Vintage Enameled Metal and Brass Table Lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Gerald Thurston for Lightolier table/desk lamp with oversized, fully adjustable shade (ca. 1950s, USA). Black enameled metal and plexi hood with brass stem/accents and original, plas...
Metal, Brass, Enamel
$3,200 / set
Pair of Ceramic Lamps by Thurston
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in New York, NY
Very stylish and sophisticated pair of ceramic lamps, designed by Gerald Thurston, for Lightolier. The ceramic body has an Aztec influence motif, each mounted on a solid wood plinth ...
Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Style Brass & White Triple Candlestick Table Lamp
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Gerald Thurston for Lightolier attributed Brass & Candlestick Table Lamp. Featuring tri curved Brass base, triple enameled White metal candlesticks, original Brass ring finial, shown...
Marble, Brass
Lightolier Gooseneck Desk Reading Lamp
By Lightolier
Located in New York, NY
Adjustable desk, reading lamp. Classic Post Modern design in the Italian School.
Metal
$570Sale Price|40% Off
Lightolier Venetia Glass & Brass Table Lamp
By Lightolier
Located in Minneapolis, MN
Here is a very clean mid-century Venetia Italian glass lamp manufactured by Lightolier. From the 1950s, this example is in very good condition. The glass has no chips or cracks and t...
Brass
1950's Gerald Thurston Lightolier Tripod Lamp
By Lightolier
Located in Asbury Park, NJ
Beautiful Chocolate Brown over Brass Tripod lamp designed by Gerald Thurston & produced by Lightolier. The shade has been custom made as the original was too far gone.
Brass
Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Slender Black Table Lamp with Brass details
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier, Tommi Parzinger
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Tall Gerald Thurston attributed Lightolier black enameled table lamp Featuring a slender all black enameled elongated metal hourglass stem, elevated above a round 7.5D Black enameled balanced base supported by a weighted Cast Iron underside. With lacquered Brass accents throughout. Original triple Ceramic sockets and finial. 23H to top of socket. Black Mesh Lamp...
Metal, Brass, Iron
Impeccable Extendable Arm Lumilux Study Lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Impeccable extendable arm Lumilux study lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier. Brushed brass base with original one-piece molded shade-diffuser in excellen...
Brass
Porcelain Table Lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier, 1950s
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Westport, CT
Speckled porcelain and brass table lamp designed by Gerald Thurston for Lightiolier, circa 1950-1959. Completely rewired, newly white linen shade included. Other designers of the ...
Brass
Impeccable Extendable Arm Lumilux Study Lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Impeccable extendable arm Lumilux study lamp by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier. Brushed brass base with original one-piece molded shade-diffuser in excellen...
Brass
$1,560Sale Price|20% Off
Lightolier Elegant Modern Brass Tripod Base Table Lamp
By Lightolier
Located in Chicago, IL
Simple and elegant brass tripod based table lamp by Lightolier. White porcelain dual sockets with white metal disc housing. Sold with drum shade...
Brass, Enamel, Metal
1950s Mid-Century Gerald Thurston for Lightolier 'Honeycomb' Ceramic Table Lamp
By Gerald Thurston, Lightolier
Located in North Hollywood, CA
An exquisite statement piece of mid-century lighting design, this vintage table lamp was designed by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier in the 1950s. Featuring an hourglass ceramic base ...
Brass
$350
Lightolier
By Lightolier
Located in Ferndale, MI
Space age lamp made in Japan for Lightolier. Weighted steel base supports chrome shaft holding adjustable plastic shade.
Steel, Chrome
$3,000Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair of Lightolier Neoclassical Brass and Darkest Green Urn Form Table Lamps
By Lightolier
Located in Chicago, IL
Elegant pair of neoclassical table lamps from Lightolier with spun brass caps, risers and base. Also, dark green lacquered metal fluted urn body and c...
Brass, Metal
$1,500 / set
1960s Swivel Table Lamps by Lightolier
By Lightolier
Located in New York, NY
1960s modern swivel spot table lamps by Lightolier.
Metal, Chrome
Pair of Venetia Table Lamps by Lightolier, Light Blue and White Striped Glass
By Lightolier
Located in Kansas City, MO
Pair of "Venetia" table lamps by Lightolier. Striped with custom shades matching the originals. Glass is mint. The brass bases show signs of light wear with one having a small dent t...
Brass
Elusive Lightolier Ceramic and Brass Table Lamp, Italian Pottery
By Lightolier, Gerald Thurston
Located in Buffalo, NY
Elusive Lightolier ceramic and brass table lamp, Italian pottery attributed to Gerald Thurston, stunning modernist decorative Italian pottery vessel atop atomic formed brass base.
Brass
Vintage Desk Lamp by Lightolier, White Metal Shade & Brass Arm, 1970s
By Lightolier
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Adjustable white metal shade and white metal base with brass arm, HI-LO dimmer switch on top of the shade, medium base socket.
Brass, Metal, Wire
Lightolier Pair of Porcelain and Brass Table lLamps 1940s
By Lightolier
Located in Miami, FL
Large pair of lamps. Brass and ceramic
Brass