Chandeliers and Pendants
1930s Danish Bauhaus Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Opaline Glass
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Aluminum
1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Glass, Murano Glass
Mid-20th Century Slovenian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Glass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Murano Glass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal, Brass
1960s French Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
1960s Austrian Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Glass
1930s Danish Art Deco Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome, Metal
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal, Brass
1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
Mid-20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
1960s Belgian Arts and Crafts Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Nickel
1960s Italian Other Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Glass
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Aluminum
1930s Danish Art Deco Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass, Nickel
1960s Czech Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Opaline Glass
1960s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
1950s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Iron
1940s Czech Art Deco Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Crystal
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Glass
1960s Italian Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
1950s Czech Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Aluminum
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
Brass
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Steel
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Metal
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Chrome
1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Chandeliers and Pendants
Aluminum, Brass
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.
Read More
This Handsome Leather Pendant Light Is Crafted Using Saddle-Making Techniques
The Doma by L’Aviva Home nods to Colombia’s equestrian heritage.
Celebrate Spring Year-Round with This Lush Murano-Glass Chandelier
Hand-blown glass makes the Italian fixture glow like dew-covered leaves in the sun.
In London, Eva Menz Creates Artisanal Lighting with Theatrical Flair
Working through her studio, Atelier001, the German-born lighting meister designs LED fixtures with thoughtfully crafted details that make each piece one of a kind.
A Tale of Two Sputnik Chandeliers
This pair of iconic 20th-century light fixtures with the same name have two very different backgrounds.
Meet the Husband-and-Wife Duo Handcrafting Larose Guyon’s Ethereal Lighting
The Canadian couple combines poetry and simplicity in their elegant designs.