As any interior designer knows light is one of the most important variables in any room. From the soft glow of a candle held in a simple brass candlestick, to a pair of carefully positioned wall lights, or a grand statement chandelier dangling from the ceiling, your choice of lighting really matters. Although there are many modern lights out there to choose from, Antique and vintage lamps offer unique designs you won’t find on the High Street as well as appealing age-worn finishes and colours. Indeed, with old lighting it is all about being bold and letting your instincts guide you to the best creative designs of the past. Often vintage desk lamps are mini sculptures themselves, so give them plenty of physical space in the room to let them shine (quite literally!)
While old electrical lighting can be the perfect solution to any space, due to deteriorating parts it is important to either buy from reputable dealers or get them professionally checked and rewired yourself. That is one reason why buying from our specialist Dealers is so beneficial (as unless otherwise stated) they do this hard work for you. Also rewiring rarely harms the overall value of an antique or vintage lamp, and usually enhances it instead.
At LoveAntiques we have an impressive selection of genuine antique and vintage lighting for all your needs.
O Keeffe Antiques
French Gilded 7 Light Antique Chandelier
£ 1,550
O Keeffe Antiques
French Pair of Giltwood Antique Wall Lights
£ 895
Penrose Antiques Ltd
Arts & Crafts Copper Chamberstick c.1900
£ 75
Marlborough Antiques & Interiors
A Large Pair of Traditional Lanterns
£ 2,350
Marlborough Antiques & Interiors
A Pair of Early 20thc Hand Made Wrought Iron Standard Lamps
£ 2,795
A Pair of Early 20thc Hand Made Wrought Iron Standard Lamps
£ 2,795
Marlborough Antiques & Interiors
O Keeffe Antiques
French 6 Light Gilded Bronze Antique Chandelier
£ 2,550
O Keeffe Antiques
Italian Set of 3 Gilded Polychrome Wall Lights
£ 1,550
Marlborough Antiques & Interiors
Regency Style Brass Library Lamp
£ 945
Graham Smith Antiques Ltd
Pair of Georgian Style Candlesticks
£ 365
O Keeffe Antiques
French Pair of Gilded Single Arm Wall Lights
£ 395
Robert Bush Antiques
Antique Edwardian Sterling Silver Chamberstick 1908
£ 595
Marylebone Antiques
French Art Deco Brass & Marble Desk Lamp
£ 445
O Keeffe Antiques
French Toleware Single Light Chandelier
£ 575
Rams Head Antiques
Beautiful Pair of Antique Candelabra Samson Gilt Bronze
£ 585
CS & T Ornate Objects & Furniture
Hollywood Regency Style Gilt Metal Palm Tree Floor Lamp, Mid to Late 20th Century
£ 955
Hollywood Regency Style Gilt Metal Palm Tree Floor Lamp, Mid to Late 20th Century
£ 955
CS & T Ornate Objects & Furniture
CS & T Ornate Objects & Furniture
Pair of 18th Century Italian Painted & Gilt Wooden Candlesticks / Candle Holders c.1750
£ 695
Pair of 18th Century Italian Painted & Gilt Wooden Candlesticks / Candle Holders c.1750
£ 695
CS & T Ornate Objects & Furniture
Piers Rankin Silver Antiques
Pretty Pair of Edwardian Sterling Silver Candlesticks
£ 375
Unique Antiques By Emma Jade
Unusual Antique Edwardian Quality Onyx & Gilded Brass Table Lamp
£ 545
Unusual Antique Edwardian Quality Onyx & Gilded Brass Table Lamp
£ 545
Unique Antiques By Emma Jade
Marylebone Antiques
Vintage Italian Floor Lamp by Harvey Guzzini
£ 945
Piers Rankin Silver Antiques
Pair of Elkington & Co Victorian Parcel Gilt Candlesticks
£ 220
William Rand Antiques
Stylish Art Deco Tulip Vase Lamp
£ 245
O Keeffe Antiques
Florentine Pair of Giltwood Wall Lights
£ 795
Unique Antiques By Emma Jade
Quality Antique Victorian Brass Oil Lamp
£ 565
Elmgarden
Quirky Hunting & Shooting Floor Lamp
£ 500
William Rand Antiques
Edwardian Holophane Pendant Light
£ 140
O Keeffe Antiques
Banci Firenze Gilt & Crystal Floral Chandelier
£ 3,750
O Keeffe Antiques
French Gilded Wheatsheaf 5 Light Chandelier
£ 495
William Rand Antiques
1930s Opaline Fish Scale Pendant Light
£ 155
O Keeffe Antiques
French Pair of Gilded Single Arm Wall Lights
£ 295
Whites Antiques
19th Century Pair of Bronze Regency Style Candlesticks
£ 310
Piers Rankin Silver Antiques
Victorian Adams Style Silver Plated Three Light Candelabra
£ 450
O Keeffe Antiques
French Gilded Brass Maison Charles Chandelier
£ 1,450
£ 1,200
O Keeffe Antiques
French Pair of Gilded Twin Arm Wall Lights
£ 875
Debenham Antiques Ltd
1960s Brass & Leather Oscillating Table Lamp
£ 895
Marylebone Antiques
Large Pair of French Marble Table Lamps
£ 1,250
Georgian Antiques
Set of 3 Gilded Brass Wall Sconces
£ 850
Rams Head Antiques
Elegant Pair of Antique Gilt Bronze Lamps
£ 595
Marylebone Antiques
Antique Lacquered Chinoiserie Floor Lamp Table
£ 1,250
artsncraftsfurniture
Arts & Crafts Brass Table Lamp
£ 100
How to date antique brass candlesticks?
Antique candlesticks are a universally loved item and date back thousands of years. However because they are all quite similar and look the same shiny colour when cleaned, it is not always easy to know how old they are. The overall form of brass candlestick has varied quite a bit over time from wider domed bases and larger drip trays to slender neoclassical varieties with push-up sockets and square bases. However, since it is relatively easy to copy older designs (and plenty of people have) it is important to look at the condition and construction also. Up to the end of the 18th Century most candlesticks were hammered or cast but by the 19th century were being stamped or spun in sections. These older examples tend to use thicker brass and will be held together with hand cut screw threads and hand cut squared nuts. Since these items were used on a daily basis then you would also expect a good degree of wear and knocks as well.
Is antique lighting valuable?
As a highly practical accessory antique and vintage lighting can be quite valuable mostly ranging up to a few thousand UK Pounds. There are of course two reasons people purchase lights, one of which is for their aesthetic appeal, but the other is because some of the finest industrial designers of the past 100 years also chose to design lamps. These lamps can be fun and modern or clever and timeless but because they also remain highly practical they should prove to be good longer term investments.
Do old lamps need to be rewired?
As usable items old electric lamps are naturally far more valuable when they work. Whether the lamp is ultimately PAT tested with the old wiring or rewired does not affect the overall value of the lamp, but for piece-of-mind having the item rewired is always preferable. The reason is because these old lamps internally bear wires and holders which will have aged over time sometimes more substantially than is visually noticeable. The older rubber and threads covering the wires will have dried and cracked and the fixings in the holders may have come loose. Many were also made at a time of lower voltages and without an Earth. This is one reason why it is worth purchasing such items from a specialist as on LoveAntiques who will ensure your cool looking lamp is safe to use for decades to come.
How to choose an antique lamp?