Chandeliers and Pendants
19th Century Swedish Neoclassical Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Metal
1940s Italian Louis XVI Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Iron
Early 20th Century Swedish Neoclassical Chandeliers and Pendants
Alabaster
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Gold, Bronze, Nickel
1870s French Louis XVI Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Mirror, Giltwood
Mid-20th Century French Louis XVI Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
1890s Louis XVI Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Bronze
Early 20th Century Danish Louis XVI Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Brass
20th Century French Louis XVI Chandeliers and Pendants
Glass
1920s Italian Louis XVI Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Bronze
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Steel
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Giltwood
20th Century Neoclassical Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
Early 20th Century Italian Neoclassical Chandeliers and Pendants
Alabaster, Brass
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Bronze
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze
20th Century Czech Louis XVI Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal
20th Century Italian Neoclassical Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal, Gold Leaf
1940s European Neoclassical Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Pewter
1970s French Neoclassical Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze
18th Century Italian Louis XVI Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Cut Glass
1860s French Louis XVI Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Bronze
1950s French Louis XVI Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Rock Crystal, Bronze
Early 20th Century American Louis XVI Chandeliers and Pendants
Marble, Bronze
20th Century European Louis XVI Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze
20th Century European Louis XVI Chandeliers and Pendants
Rock Crystal, Bronze
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Chandeliers and Pendants
Ormolu, Brass, Bronze
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Ormolu
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Rock Crystal, Bronze, Metal
20th Century French Louis XVI Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Rock Crystal, Bronze
19th Century European Neoclassical Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Bronze
20th Century French Louis XVI Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Rock Crystal, Bronze
Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Chandeliers and Pendants
Rock Crystal, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Bronze
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Bronze
19th Century European Louis XVI Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Metal
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze
20th Century French Louis XVI Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Bronze
1940s Argentine Neoclassical Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal
Antique, Vintage and Contemporary Chandeliers and Pendant Lights
Chandeliers — simple in form, inspired by candelabras and originally made of wood or iron — first made an appearance in early churches. For those wealthy enough to afford them for their homes in the medieval period, a chandelier's suspended lights likely exuded imminent danger, as lit candles served as the light source for fixtures of the era. Things have thankfully changed since then, and antique and vintage chandeliers and pendant lights are popular in many interiors today.
While gas lighting during the late 18th century represented an upgrade for chandeliers — and gas lamps would long inspire Danish architect and pioneering modernist lighting designer Poul Henningsen — it would eventually be replaced with the familiar electric lighting of today.
The key difference between a pendant light and a chandelier is that a pendant incorporates only a single bulb into its design. Don’t mistake this for simplicity, however. An Art Deco–styled homage to Sputnik from Murano glass artisans Giovanni Dalla Fina (note: there is more than one lighting fixture that shares its name with the iconic mid-century-era satellite — see Gino Sarfatti’s design too), with handcrafted decorative elements supported by a chrome frame, is just one stunning example of the elaborate engineering that can be incorporated into every component of a chandelier.
Chandeliers have evolved over time, but their classic elegance has remained unchanged. Not only will the right chandelier prove impressive in a given room, but it can also offer a certain sense of practicality. These fixtures can easily illuminate an entire space, while their elevated position prevents them from creating glare or straining one’s eyes. Certain materials, like glass, can complement naturally lit settings without stealing the show. Brass, on the other hand, can introduce an alluring, warm glow. While LEDs have earned a bad reputation for their perceived harsh bluish lights and a loss of brightness over their life span, the right design choices can help harness their lighting potential and create the perfect mood. A careful approach to lighting can transform your room into a peaceful and cozy nook, ideal for napping, reading or working.
For midsize spaces, a wall light or sconce can pull the room together and get the lighting job done. Perforated steel rings underneath five bands of handspun aluminum support a rich diffusion of light within Alvar Aalto's Beehive pendant light, but if you’re looking to brighten a more modest room, perhaps a minimalist solution is what you’re after. The mid-century modern furniture designer Charlotte Perriand devised her CP-1 wall lamps in the 1960s, in which a repositioning of sheet-metal plates can redirect light as needed.
The versatility and variability of these lighting staples mean that, when it comes to finding something like the perfect chandelier, you’ll never be left hanging. From the whimsical — like the work of Beau & Bien’s Sylvie Maréchal, frequently inspired by her dreams — to the classic beauty of Paul Ferrante's fixtures, there is a style for every room. With designs for pendant lights and chandeliers across eras, colors and materials, you’ll never run out of options to explore on 1stDibs.