Ormolu Table Lamps
Early 20th Century American Georgian Ormolu Table Lamps
Rock Crystal, Ormolu
Early 20th Century American Renaissance Ormolu Table Lamps
Bronze, Gold Leaf
21st Century and Contemporary Ormolu Table Lamps
Late 19th Century French Islamic Antique Ormolu Table Lamps
Bronze, Ormolu
21st Century and Contemporary Ormolu Table Lamps
Rock Crystal
19th Century American Rococo Antique Ormolu Table Lamps
Marble, Bronze
Early 20th Century American Neoclassical Revival Ormolu Table Lamps
Bronze
20th Century American Edwardian Ormolu Table Lamps
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Victorian Ormolu Table Lamps
Bronze
1920s American Baroque Vintage Ormolu Table Lamps
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Renaissance Revival Ormolu Table Lamps
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Ormolu Table Lamps
Rock Crystal
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau Ormolu Table Lamps
Bronze, Enamel
19th Century English Georgian Antique Ormolu Table Lamps
Marble, Bronze, Ormolu
Mid-19th Century English Georgian Antique Ormolu Table Lamps
Bronze, Ormolu
19th Century British Georgian Antique Ormolu Table Lamps
Ormolu
Antique Ormolu Table Lamps and Other Ormolu Lighting for Sale on 1stDibs
Able to double as task lighting, table lamps can illuminate darker corners of a room, and antique ormolu table lamps and other ormolu lighting can be incorporated into a variety of spaces.
Your style of decorating doesn't have to necessarily have to be rooted in neoclassical design in order to tastefully introduce ormolu — while demand for the material and/or technique was at its peak in Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries, ormolu table lamps, desk lamps and other ormolu furniture and decor are still widely loved by contemporary designers and collectors.
What is ormolu?
Ormolu is a brilliant form of decorative trickery. To the untrained eye, ormolu table lamps, clocks, jewelry boxes and other ormolu furniture and decor look like they're made of solid gold. But those in the know recognize ormolu — or elaborate bronze gilding — as having been essential to French design in the 18th and 19th centuries as a cornerstone of the neoclassical and Empire styles.
“Most commonly, ormolu refers to a bronze object that has been covered with gold, typically 18 karat or 24 karat,” explains Jamie Sinai, director of the antiques specialist Mayfair Gallery, in London. “For that reason, ormolu is sometimes called gilt bronze or, in French, bronze doré. Strictly speaking, however, the term ormolu also denotes the technique of applying gold to a metal.”
“The word comes from the French or moulu, which translates as ‘ground or powdered gold’ — the form the gold takes before it is applied to a metal surface.”
From the court of King Louis XVI to that of Napoleon I, the French elite snapped up furniture mounted with ormolu, as well as sconces, candelabra and table lamps made from the material.
If you're looking to bring a touch of this 19th-century pizzazz to your desk, an antique ormolu table lamp is a decorative touch that blends ornament and functionality. Perfect for lighting your nightstand or reading nook, table lamps play an integral role in styling an inviting room, and a well-crafted ormolu table lamp does more than provide light; the right fixture-and-table combination can add a focal point or creative element to any interior.
Today, antiques collectors and interior designers seek out the finest in ormolu clocks and continue to prize ormolu for its extraordinary craftsmanship and history-infused glamour.
“This wondrous material was highly sought after in France as the ultimate luxury. It magically resembled solid gold and sparkled under candlelight,” says Sinai.
Find antique ormolu table lamps, ormolu floor lamps and other ormolu lighting on 1stDibs.