- Want more images or videos?Request additional images or videos from the seller
Pair Gerald Thurston Black Iron Tripod Table Lamps with Milk Glass Liner Shades

About the Item
- Creator:Lightolier (Manufacturer),Gerald Thurston (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 25 in (63.5 cm)Width: 11 in (27.94 cm)Depth: 11 in (27.94 cm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1950s
- Condition:Rewired.
- Seller Location:Bainbridge, NY
- Reference Number:
Gerald Thurston
As the leading designer at Lightolier during the postwar building and design boom, Gerald Thurston created his clever lighting — sleek floor lamps, table lamps and desk lamps— to suit the American lifestyles of 1950s and 1960s. His designs were at the forefront of the mid-century modern lighting revolution — like much of the visionary work being done at the time in furniture and interiors, Thurston’s fixtures are both elegant and totally innovative, reflecting the exploration of new ideas and new technology that consumed designers of the era.
Thurston eventually led a stellar team of international lighting designers at Lightolier. He was important to the pioneering East Coast-based electric lighting company, and rumor has it that because he sketched every design on craft paper, the manufacturer insured his right hand for one million American dollars.
While enrolled in the School of the Art Institute of Chicago during the 1930s, where he earned his degree in industrial design, Thurston worked as a freelance designer for the Zenith Radio Corporation. Once he graduated, he found a position at the New Metal Craft Company. There he designed custom lighting fixtures and decorative objects for architects and interior designers.
Lightolier enticed Thurston to join them in approximately 1950. That same year, New York’s Museum of Modern Art featured a green floor lamp of his in their Good Design Exhibition of 1950. The sculptural lamps that Thurston created for Lightolier are representative of his interest in Scandinavian modernist lighting as well as the revolutionary designs produced by postwar Italian companies such as Arredoluce and Arteluce. (Lightolier partnered with the latter, and Thurston found inspiration in the work of Arteluce founder Gino Sarfatti.)
During Thurston’s decades-long tenure with Lightolier, he became internationally known for his many designs. His modernist fixtures are characterized by clean lines, vibrant colors and an appealing meld of metals and rich woods. His slender-legged Lightolier Tripod floor lamp, introduced in the 1960s, garnered widespread acclaim, while his whimsical Cricket lamp, with its arthropodan shade and slim brass frame, is wholly versatile — it can be hung as a sconce or positioned on a desk and offers direct or diffused light.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Gerald Thurston lighting, decorative objects and more.
Lightolier
Founded in 1904 in New York and family-operated through most of its history, Lightolier was one of the pioneering American electric lighting companies, best known for its embrace of stylistic and technical innovations.
Collectors focus on vintage Lightolier lighting fixtures produced from the 1950s and into the 1970s, when an in-house design team led by Gerald Thurston — and a stellar cast of international design contributors — created an array of practical yet aesthetically lively table lamps, floor lamps, sconces and chandeliers.
Amidst the post-World War II building boom, Lightolier — the name combines “light” and “chandelier” — aggressively boosted its residential lighting division. Thurston, who was strongly influenced by the sleek designs of Gino Sarfatti and his Italian lighting firm Arteluce, towards simpler lamp designs that offered flexibility of function. His best-known designs include the Cricket task light — a lamp with an adjustable enameled metal hood that toggles on a slender bent-metal base — and the three-legged Tripod floor lamp. At the same time, Thurston had a wonderful eye for talent and sought work from some of the lesser-known greats of the era, such as Paavo Tynell, the Finnish lighting designer, who designed several brass chandeliers for Lightolier with his trademark elegant flamboyance.
And more, Thurston recognized abilities in designers not known for their work in lighting.
Edward Wormley, head of furniture design for Dunbar, produced several noteworthy chandeliers employing canisters and reflective hoods. Alvin Lustig was famed as a graphic designer. His ca. 1953 Ring ceiling fixture for Lightolier had a minimalist techno look some 30 years ahead of its time. But this was par. Designed by Michael Lax in 1964, the Lytegem high-intensity lamp — included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art — features a ball-shaped shade attached with a chromed armature to a cubic base, a form that would be widely copied in the following decade. Chandeliers designed in the early 1970s by Gaetano Sciolari, with details such as acrylic diffusers and vertical, two-bulb arms, would define the look of lighting in their day.
A look through these pages reveals just how astonishingly wide a range of lighting pieces Lightolier produced. The company never flicked off its stylistic switch.
Find a collection of vintage Lightolier lamps and other lighting fixtures on 1stDibs.
Shipping & Returns
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Bainbridge, NY
- Return Policy
A return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
- Gerald Thurston Dual Shade Brass Desk LampBy Lightolier, Gerald ThurstonLocated in Bainbridge, NYGerald Thurston for Lightolier crossed swords desk lamp with brass rimmed Raffia Barrel Shades, 1950's. Featuring dual arms in Brass with adjusting, dual Brass rimmed, intertwined Ra...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBrass
- Tall Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Radiating Brass & Walnut Table LampBy Lightolier, Gerald ThurstonLocated in Bainbridge, NYGerald Thurston for Lightolier 3' H flared and incised brass and walnut table lamp, circa 1960. Featuring a radiating vertically lined antique bronzed finish top and partial stem wit...Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBrass
- Gerald Thurston for Lightolier "Studio Porcelains" Dark Gray Table Lamp, 1950'sBy Gerald Thurston, LightolierLocated in Bainbridge, NYSubstantial Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Charcoal Gray "Studio Porcelains" Pleated Table Lamp. Featuring a large fluted Gun Metal Porcelain body, Brass stem, original White enamele...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBrass
- Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Adjustable Taupe Desk Lamp, 1950'sBy Gerald Thurston, LightolierLocated in Bainbridge, NYOriginal condition Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Pivoting Library lamp, 1950's. Featuring an articulating patinated Brass stem, resembling a smooth Bronze appearance, adjustable Tau...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsMetal, Enamel
- Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Brass Tripod Floor Lamp, 1950sBy Gerald Thurston, LightolierLocated in Bainbridge, NYEarly Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Brass Tripod Reading Floor Lamp with White Linen Shade. Featuring a joined tripod, three legged patinated Brass framework, Off-White enameled dif...Category
Vintage 1940s American Mid-Century Modern Floor Lamps
MaterialsMetal, Brass
- Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Beige "Cricket" Desk Lamp, Circa 1955By Gerald Thurston, LightolierLocated in Bainbridge, NYOriginal Classic Gerald Thurston for Lightolier Beige Cricket Table Lamp, Wall Lamp. Featuring an adjustable perforated dome Bakelite Shade in Coffee Cream, Pale Taupe on Brass frame...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBrass, Steel
- Pair Bouillotte Brass Two-Light Lamps with Black ShadesLocated in Douglas Manor, NY3-436a pair of 2 light brass lamps with black paper shades. 60 watt candelabra base bulbs Original wiring in working condition 13" diameter shade 19.5" to top of loop.Category
Vintage 1970s Table Lamps
MaterialsBrass
- Pair of Tall Modernist Brass and Glass Lamps with Black ShadesLocated in Troy, MIFound in Italy, this pair of circa 2010 tall table lamps have a glass base, tall open rectangle-form center and square black fabric, gold foil-lined shades. Unknown maker - high qual...Category
2010s Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBrass, Foil
- 1960s Mid Century Concentric Circle Milk Glass Dish Saucer LightLocated in New York, NY1960s white milk glass dish saucer light with concentric circle details. Mid-Century Modern Space Age design. The fitter is made of nickel. Variations of the fitters are available, p...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsMetal
- 1960s Mid-Century Modern Nickeled Pole Pendant Light with Milk Glass GlobeLocated in New York, NY1960s Mid-Century Modern white milk glass globe with rare down light shaped shade. This pendant light comes with the original nickel plated brass pole fitter. This can be seen at our...Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsBrass, Nickel
- Wrought Iron and Schneider Glass Table Lamp, France, circa 1920-1930By Charles SchneiderLocated in Buenos Aires, Buenos AiresWrought iron and Schneider glass table lamp, France, circa 1920-1930.Category
Vintage 1920s French Art Deco Table Lamps
MaterialsIron
- Gerald Thurston Brass Tripod Table LampBy Gerald Thurston, LightolierLocated in Los Angeles, CADimensions: 26in H x 10in W x 10in D Lamp shade: 10in H x 15in W.Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBrass
- Gerald Thurston Brass Tripod Table Lamp with Walnut AccentBy Gerald Thurston, LightolierLocated in Los Angeles, CADimensions: 26in H x 10in W x 10in D Lamp shade: 10in H x 15in W.Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBrass
- Gerald Thurston Sculpted Brass & Walnut Tripod Table LampBy Gerald Thurston, LightolierLocated in Los Angeles, CADimensions: 26in H x 10in W x 10in D Lamp shade: 10in H x 15in W.Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBrass
- 1950s Gerald Thurston Tripod Table Lamp Pair Space Age Modern LightolierBy Gerald Thurston, LightolierLocated in National City, CA1950s Gerald Thurston Tripod Table Lamps for Lightolier Space Age Atomic Midcentury Modern Linen shade and tubular steel 26.5 tall x 23.5 diameter Unmarked Preowned original vintage ...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsMetal, Iron
- Tripod Table Lamp Attributed to Gerald Thurston for Lightolier, 1950sBy Lightolier, Gerald ThurstonLocated in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo LeonExquisite Mid-Century Modern lamp attributed to Gerald Thurston for Lightolier, there is no label or mark that could identify the designer or manufacturer. The lamp is available wit...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsBrass
- Gerald Thurston Desk LampBy Gerald Thurston, LightolierLocated in Brooklyn, NYFantastic table or desk lamp, designed by Gerald Thurston for Lightolier. Wide enameled black shade, articulates from the curved brass base. In wonderful condition overall, original ...Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsMetal
Recently Viewed
View MoreThe 1stDibs Promise
Learn MoreExpertly Vetted Sellers
Confidence at Checkout
Price-Match Guarantee
Exceptional Support
Buyer Protection
Trusted Global Delivery