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.
Rams Head Antiques
Quality Antique Brass Desk Light
£ 385
£ 900
Marylebone Antiques
Pair of Ceramic Table Lamps
£ 575
£ 650
O Keeffe Antiques
French Gilded Bronze 6 Light Antique Chandelier
£ 2,750
O Keeffe Antiques
French Pair of Brass Twin Arm Wall Lights
£ 245
Marylebone Antiques
Vintage Brass Table Lamp
£ 295
£ 450
£ 500
£ 485
Tall Pair of Antique Candlesticks, English, Silver Plated Candle Sconce - Edwardian
£ 485
London Fine Ltd
Elmgarden
Imari Vase Lamp and Bowl with Cover
£ 775
£ 275
London City Antiques
Antique Victorian Quality Silver Plated Table Lamp
£ 650
Marylebone Antiques
Pair of Vintage Porcelain Table Lamps
£ 950
In a Nutshell Antiques & Interiors Ltd
Chinoiserie Standard Lamp c.1930
£ 240
Robert Pagden Antiques
Dugdills Flower Desk Lamp
£ 495
Georgian Antiques
Pair of Bronze Candelabra
£ 2,750
Sunnyside Antiques
Art Deco - Standard Lamp
£ 320
Marylebone Antiques
Brass Reading Lamp
£ 395
D and A Binder LTD
Early Century Elephant Chandelier
£ 4,800
Marylebone Antiques
Large Oriental Bronze Table Lamp
£ 975
£ 375
£ 595
Marlborough Antiques & Interiors
Attractive Pair of Good Sized Brass Candlestick Lamps
£ 745
Tom Scott Antiques
4 Branch Czech Cut Crystal Chandelier
£ 675
O Keeffe Antiques
French Silver Gilded Twin Arm Wall Lights
£ 475
O Keeffe Antiques
Florentine Pair of Gilded Triple Light Chandeliers
£ 475
Marlborough Antiques & Interiors
Attractive Carlos Remes Lamp c.1970
£ 375
Marlborough Antiques & Interiors
Pair of Eau De Nil Drape Glass Lamps
£ 595
Antique & Modern Living
Art Nouveau Bronze Table Lamp
£ 495
Marylebone Antiques
Antique Lacquered Chinoiserie Floor Lamp
£ 750
Marylebone Antiques
Pair of Vintage French Art Deco Model 509 Lamps by Jean Perzel
£ 1,650
Rams Head Antiques
Beautiful Antique Chandelier Gilt Metal Italian
£ 895
Rams Head Antiques
Pretty Pair of Antique Gilt Metal Candelabra Italian
£ 485
Rams Head Antiques
Neat Pair of Antique Alabaster Table Lamps
£ 275
Rams Head Antiques
Large Pair of Chinese Porcelain Table Lamps
£ 365
Elmgarden
Novelty Lighthouse Floor Lamp
£ 1,500
Rams Head Antiques
Fabulous Gilt Bronze Elephant Candelabra Centrepiece
£ 485
O Keeffe Antiques
French Pair of Silvered Twin Light Candelabra
£ 875
Debenham Antiques Ltd
Art Deco Alabaster Hanging Dish Light
£ 1,295
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?