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.
JMR Antiques Ltd
19th C Blue and White Lamp
£ 895
House of Clarnold
French Counterweight Parlour Ceiling Light
£ 225
£ 250
O Keeffe Antiques
Italian 15 Light Gilded Bronze Antique Chandelier
£ 1,950
O Keeffe Antiques
French Pair of Gilded Bronze Antique Wall Lights
£ 575
£ 300
O Keeffe Antiques
French Gilded Brass & Crystal 5 Light Chandelier
£ 695
O Keeffe Antiques
French Pair of Gilded Convex Half Lanterns
£ 975
O Keeffe Antiques
French Gilded 8 Light Antique Chandelier
£ 1,150
Marylebone Antiques
Pair of Vintage Swedish Table Lamps by Carl Fagerlund for Orrefors
£ 1,650
Pair of Vintage Swedish Table Lamps by Carl Fagerlund for Orrefors
£ 1,650
Marylebone Antiques
Graham Deakin Antiques
Blanc de Chine Lamp
£ 325
Graham Deakin Antiques
Tiffany Lamp Base
£ 395
£ 600
Loveday Antiques
Jacques Adnet French Mid Century Modern Leather Table Lamp
£ 4,800
O Keeffe Antiques
Florentine Pair of Giltwood Antique Wall Lights
£ 975
Knight Fine Antiques & Collectables
Antique Brass Oil Lamp
£ 190
Knight Fine Antiques & Collectables
Antique White Brass & Glass Oil Lamp
£ 170
Knight Fine Antiques & Collectables
Antique Brass & Porcelain Oil Lamp by Fischer J Budapest
£ 250
Antique Brass & Porcelain Oil Lamp by Fischer J Budapest
£ 250
Knight Fine Antiques & Collectables
£ 275
£ 265
Marlborough Antiques & Interiors
Mahogany Standing Lamp c.1900
£ 645
William Rand Antiques
Early 20th Century Brass Chandelier
£ 395
Jeff Sims Antiques
Lovely Victorian Cut Glass Candle Holder
£ 65
Elmgarden
French Empire Style Chandelier
£ 495
O Keeffe Antiques
French Gilded 7 Light Antique Chandelier
£ 795
£ 565
Sunnyside Antiques
Vintage Copper Port & Starboard Lights
£ 195
Campbell Vintage
Mid Century Copper & Brass Articulated Standard Lamp
£ 590
O Keeffe Antiques
French Pair Of Bronze Antique Wall Sconces
£ 1,450
£ 495
O Keeffe Antiques
Banci Firenze Gilt & Crystal Floral Chandelier
£ 3,950
£ 750
Beau French Boutique
French Gilt Toleware Floral Chandelier Ceiling Light
£ 395
£ 2,200
£ 750
£ 350
In a Nutshell Antiques & Interiors Ltd
Antique Gilt Table Lamp
£ 120
Millers Antiques
Pair of 1900s Mahogany Candlesticks
£ 280
O Keeffe Antiques
French Gilded Brass Triple Light Hall Lantern
£ 2,650
Piers Rankin Silver Antiques
Charming Pair of Late Victorian Sterling Silver Candlesticks
£ 240
Charming Pair of Late Victorian Sterling Silver Candlesticks
£ 240
Piers Rankin Silver Antiques
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?