During Mount Vesuvius’ eruption in 79 A.D., Pompeii and Herculaneum in today’s Italy were preserved as they were on the day of their destruction. Particularly at Herculaneum, furnishings were carbonized beneath volcanic ash. This was pivotal to understanding how Classical Roman furniture was designed. Archaeological investigations and printed reproductions of discoveries would influence styles evoking this ancient civilization, from the Renaissance to neoclassicism.
While knowledge of Classical Roman furniture comes from rare surviving pieces, it is also derived from frescoes and sculptures portraying Roman life. Much of Roman art, architecture and design was informed by Greece — Roman architect, military engineer and writer Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, whose timeless De architectura is taught in contemporary architecture classes and pays tribute to classical architecture, visited Greece while working under Julius Caesar and admired the country’s architectural developments. The Roman solium references the Greek thronos, a stately chair of honor with an upright form and footstool. As the Roman Empire spread across Europe and into North Africa and Western Asia, the expansion of trade for silver, silk, marble and wood allowed for more luxurious designs.
Classical Roman furniture was made from bronze, wood and stone — in particular, marble — with ornate touches like tortoiseshell veneers, bone and glass inlays and claw feet. Ornaments depicting lion heads and mythological figures were sculpted from silver, bronze and ivory. Compared to the decorative attention given to the mosaic floors and wall paintings, however, furniture for even a wealthy house was minimal. It focused on the necessities for guests arriving for both socializing and business and the rooms housing family, relatives and enslaved people.
The triclinium dining room had banquet couches, items so prized they were sometimes interred with the deceased. Tall bronze or terracotta candelabras held oil lamps for lighting. Carved marble tables reflected status, while the lararium home shrine demonstrated faith.
Find a collection of Classical Roman decorative objects, tables, seating and other furniture on 1stDibs.
A great pair of 19th c Italian carved and gilt torchiere floor lamps
Located in Dallas, TX
A great pair of late 19th century Italian carved and gilt torchiere floor lamps . Custom wiring and pleated linen shades.
Giltwood
Maitland-Smith Grand Tour Style Bronze Patinated Barley Twist Floor Lamp
Located in San Diego, CA
Maitland-Smith Grand Tour Style Bronze Patinated Barley Twist Floor Lamp, circa 1970s. This striking floor lamp features a finely cast bronze column with a double "barley twist" or r...
Marble, Bronze
Thomas Morgan Carved Wood Classical Motif Reeded Column - Gilded Wood Floor Lamp
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Thomas Morgan Carved Wood Classical Motif Reeded Column and Gilded Wood Floor Lamp This lamp measures: 16.5 wide x 16.5 deep x 72 inches high We take our photos in a controlled lig...
Reed, Wood
Italian Bronze Floor Lamp, Grand Tour Style, Classical Design, 1890
Located in Montreal, QC
This unusual antique floor lamp revisits in the late 19th century an oil lamp of antiquity. Raised on three cloven hoof feet and with stem encircled by a writhing serpent, the oil re...
Bronze
Mikado Antique Gold Art floor lamp 1980s Italy
Located in Den Haag, NL
Looking for something different , look at this Antique Gold color metal spikes , like mikado . in the middle a half dome frosted Glass shade . L...
Metal
Antique Italian Florentine Hand-Carved & Gilt Finished Floor Lamp & Shade
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This antique florr lamp is unsigned, but presumed to originate from Italy and date to approximately 1920 and done in a Classical Florentine style. The lamp base is composed of a softwood that have been heavily hand-carved with considerable decorative elements from the top to the base, and has three pull chain light...
Gesso, Softwood
1960's Hollywood Regency Italian Gold Leaf & Travertine Roman Floor Lamp
By Hans Kögl
Located in Burbank, CA
1960's Hollywood Regency Italian floor lamp for sale. It's made of solid wood, and has a solid travertine block at the bottom. It has a naturally distressed finish with gold leaf acc...
Travertine, Gold Leaf
Rare Victorian Hand-Painted Italian Venetian Uplighter Floor Standing Lamp
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this very rare hand-painted Victorian Italian Venetian floor standing uplighter conversion Originally designed for Victorian candlesticks buts ...
Hardwood
Pair of 20th Century Vintage Christopher Wray, Lamps Depicting Roman Women
Located in GB
Pair of 20th century vintage Christopher Wray plaster figural lamps depicting Roman women, signed by artist. M. Osman.
Plaster
$3,069
H 70.28 in W 14.18 in D 14.18 in
Rare Victorian Hand-Painted Italian Venetian Uplighter Floor Standing Lamp
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this very rare hand-painted Victorian Italian Venetian floor standing uplighter conversion Originally designed for Victorian candlesticks buts ...
Hardwood
Reeded Brass Floor Lamp
Located in Asheville, NC
Reeded brass floor lamp with acanthus leaf details dividing the shaft, on a round base with an insert of faux porphyry, finely chased border on three paw feet, new box pleated taupe ...
Pair of Brass and Lucite Torchieres Floor Lamps
Located in Palm Springs, CA
1980’s Glamorous pair of polish brass and clear acrylic floor lamps. In original vintage condition, Brass shows some age spots (see detail photos). They take one 100w max Edison lig...
Brass
$2,150 / set
H 35 in W 7 in D 7 in
Pair of Maitland-Smith Barley Twist Style Table Lamps with Gilt Metal Mounts
Located in Morristown, NJ
An elegant pair of Maitland-Smith table lamps featuring richly detailed barley twist style standards with scrolling foliate carving and warm faux bois decoration accented by gilt met...
Metal
Postmodern Italian Floor Torchiere Lamp Glass & Metal
By Fontana Arte
Located in San Diego, CA
Beautiful elegant floor torchiere lamp with 3/4" thick glass column, with white enameled metal base and shade, perfect condition with dimmer switch, ci...
Metal
Unique 1980s Sculptural Floor Lamp
Located in New York, NY
A sculptural rocket shaped floor lamp done in a purple and blue lacquered metal rocket with three smoked glass trays, a beige, pink and yellow lacquered wood base. Three shelves. Lon...
Metal
Barley Twist Floor Lamp, Beech Wood, Adam Style, Antique, 1920
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Barley Twist Floor Standing Lamp A skilfully turned piece, this lamp stands on a 13” turned wooden base, it is in good condition, the shade is not new but it suits the lamp very wel...
Beech
Late 19th Century Art Nouveau Torchiere Floor Lamp
Located in Dekalb, IL
This ornate floor lamp features a cast metal tripod base with twisted rods, acanthus leaf detailing, and claw feet, topped by a vivid red etched glass globe shade. Rich with classica...
Cast Iron
$950Sale Price|24% Off
H 61 in W 20 in D 20 in
Incredible Faux Bamboo Elephant Motife Maitland Smith Floor Lamp
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Incredibly handsome and rich looking floor lamp having a dark brown painted metal faux bamboo base with 3 silver resin elephant heads, trunks tu...
Resin
1980s Floor lamp, Italy
Located in Praha, CZ
- good original condition with minor signs of use - 1x bulbs E12 - E14 - US wiring compatible - dimmable
Chrome
$8,766
H 57.88 in Dm 22.05 in
1920s Scandinavian art deco floor lamp in patinated bronze Just Andersen style.
Located in København K, 84
Unique 1920s Scandinavian Art deco floor lamp in patinated bronze with new linen shade. Please find measures: Base: 33 cm Height: 147- 194 cm (The upper core part of this lamp can be extended) Wide: 56 cm We are delighted to unveil a unique and rare piece that encapsulates the essence of a bygone era – an Early 20th Century Scandinavian Art Deco Bronze Floor Lamp...
Bronze
Italian Floor Lamp with Black Metal Shade
By Stilnovo
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Italian floor light in the style of Stilnovo with articulating black shade, brass stem and counter weight ball foot. Newly produced in Italy and newly rewired.
Brass
A Petite Corinthian Column Brass Floor Lamp A lovely design
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
A Petite Corinthian Column Brass Floor Lamp A lovely design it has a decorative stepped square base and a central Corinthian column also in brass The lamp is in good condition with...
Brass
Fluted Brass Column Floor Lamp, Brass Standard Lamp
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
Fluted brass column floor lamp, brass standard lamp This is a very attractive piece, the lamp has a chunky centre column and a square bas...
Brass
Fine Pair of Gilt Column Minerva Floor Lamps by Paul Ferrante
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Large and fine pair of gilt wood column lamps in Ionic form in very good condition. The pair have fluted columns, Stylized Ionic capitals with carved design, adjustable height hardwa...
Wood
1960s Brass Floor Lamp by Oscar Torlasco for Lumi
Located in Silvolde, Gelderland
Beautiful and rare floor lamp made by Lumi. Designed by Oscar Torlasco. This lamp is made of brass with black lacquered metal details. It is in an original condition and technical...
Metal, Brass
Corinthian Column Brass Floor Lamp
Located in Godshill, Isle of Wight
A Corinthian column brass floor lamp A lovely design the stepped square base is set with lion claw feet on each corner, the lamp has a central Corinthian column also in brass The...
Brass
Gild Iron Floor Lamp, France, 1950s
Located in Den Haag, NL
Very nice gilded iron floor lamp. Love the antique gold color. Comes with a new black velvet shade, France, 1950s. Very good condition.
Iron
19th Century Italian Standing Lamp with Parchment Shade
Located in Los Angeles, CA
19th century hand carved standing candlestick in a natural wood finish. The candlestick has been wired into a lamp and crowned with a hand painted parchment shade. The beautiful flut...
Walnut
Sold
H 55.71 in W 11.82 in D 11.82 in
Floor Standing Metal Lamp Depicting a Ships Bust Figure Head Lion Hair Paw Feet
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely floor standing hand painted metal lamp depicting a ships bust or figurehead and finished with a lion's hairy p...
Metal
October Floor Lamp by Guillermo
By Guillermo Arias
Located in Miami Beach, FL
This floor lamp is part of a series of objects the architect Guillermo Arias, develop in the 1990s as one of a kind objects. The floor lamps were built with reclaimed metal objects with a divine green antique patina and custom copper lampshade...
Brass, Copper
Italian Bronze Etruscan Revival Bronze Floor Lamp
Located in Essex, MA
Floor lamp with boy clutching goose finial over four oil font arms, tapered fluted support ending on a tripartite base with claw feet and a variety of cast decoration.
Pair of Marble Pedestals as Lamps
Located in Montreal, QC
Pair of interior lit marble pedestals on stepped octagonal bases, fitted with canted square tops.
Marble
Impressive Free Standing Antique Italian Fluted Floor Candelabra
Located in Highwood, IL
Shedding some much needed ambient lighting to a dark corner of your home and adding a bit of mystery and intrigue at the same time. This fine candelabra may be primitive in appearanc...
Brass, Copper