Chandeliers and Pendants
1960s Mexican Brutalist Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
Early 20th Century Italian Brutalist Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal, Wrought Iron
1860s French Louis XV Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Gold, Bronze
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze
1950s French Brutalist Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Wrought Iron
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Chandeliers and Pendants
Cut Glass
2010s Belgian Brutalist Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Ormolu
1970s Czech Brutalist Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
1910s French Louis XV Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Iron, Gold Leaf
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Chandeliers and Pendants
Iron
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal, Bronze
19th Century Italian Louis XV Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze
2010s American Brutalist Chandeliers and Pendants
Aluminum, Brass, Steel
Mid-20th Century Italian Brutalist Chandeliers and Pendants
Iron
Mid-20th Century French Louis XV Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Brass
Early 2000s American Brutalist Chandeliers and Pendants
Steel
1960s Danish Brutalist Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
20th Century Spanish Brutalist Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal, Iron, Gold Leaf
19th Century Italian Louis XV Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
1960s Finnish Brutalist Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Copper
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Ormolu
19th Century Louis XV Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Rock Crystal, Iron
2010s North American Brutalist Chandeliers and Pendants
Copper
1960s Italian Brutalist Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome, Iron
1950s French Brutalist Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Steel
1980s Israeli Brutalist Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Louis XV Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze
1970s Swiss Brutalist Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Iron
Early 20th Century French Louis XV Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Bronze
2010s American Brutalist Chandeliers and Pendants
Steel
20th Century Louis XV Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
1990s American Brutalist Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze
20th Century Danish Brutalist Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
1950s European Brutalist Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Copper, Iron
2010s Portuguese Brutalist Chandeliers and Pendants
Travertine, Metal, Brass
Late 19th Century French Louis XV Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Bronze
1970s French Brutalist Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Aluminum, Bronze
19th Century Italian Louis XV Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
20th Century French Louis XV Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Metal
Early 1900s French Louis XV Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Bronze
1950s European Brutalist Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Copper, Iron
1950s European Brutalist Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Copper, Iron
1970s German Brutalist Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Copper
19th Century French Louis XV Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Metal, Wrought Iron
1950s Swiss Louis XV Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
20th Century Louis XV Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Louis XV Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze
Early 1900s French Louis XV Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze, Ormolu
20th Century Spanish Brutalist Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal, Wrought Iron, Iron
1930s French Louis XV Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Bronze
1890s French Louis XV Antique Chandeliers and Pendants
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Louis XV Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal, Metal
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.