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.
Piers Rankin Silver Antiques
Smart Pair of Silver Candlesticks in Circular Plain Form
£ 255
Piers Rankin Silver Antiques
Dwarf Neo Classical Adams Style Edwardian Sterling Silver Candlesticks
£ 325
Dwarf Neo Classical Adams Style Edwardian Sterling Silver Candlesticks
£ 325
Piers Rankin Silver Antiques
£ 1,250
£ 295
£ 400
The Old Yard
Edwardian Brass Rise and Fall Light
£ 580
O Keeffe Antiques
English Silvered Bronze 6 Light Chandelier
£ 2,450
O Keeffe Antiques
English Pair Of Silver Gilded Antque Wall Lights
£ 895
£ 275
Piers Rankin Silver Antiques
Pair of Late Victorian Sterling Silver Tapersticks
£ 385
Piers Rankin Silver Antiques
Ebenezer Coker Sterling Silver George III Chamber Stick
£ 835
Piers Rankin Silver Antiques
Superb Pair of George III Sterling Silver Table Candlesticks
£ 1,450
Superb Pair of George III Sterling Silver Table Candlesticks
£ 1,450
Piers Rankin Silver Antiques
O Keeffe Antiques
French Gilded 6 Light Antique Chandelier
£ 1,750
Town House Traders Ltd
Quality Brass Adjustable Reading Lamp
£ 165
O Keeffe Antiques
French Set Of 4 Gilded Brass Rope Wall Lights
£ 975
Unique Antiques By Emma Jade
Large Pair of Stunning Antique Victorian Quality Church Candlesticks
£ 685
Large Pair of Stunning Antique Victorian Quality Church Candlesticks
£ 685
Unique Antiques By Emma Jade
In a Nutshell Antiques & Interiors Ltd
Antique Chinoiserie Standard Lamp
£ 295
O Keeffe Antiques
French Pair Bronze 8 Light Antique Chandeliers
£ 1,750
O Keeffe Antiques
French Pair Of Gilded Antique Wall Lights
£ 295
Marylebone Antiques
Art Deco Floor Lamp in Solid Walnut
£ 950
Unique Antiques By Emma Jade
Wonderful Quality Antique Victorian Brass Oil Lamp
£ 475
O Keeffe Antiques
English Set Of 4 Bronze & Glass Wall Lights
£ 795
Marylebone Antiques
Large Antique Oriental Ceramic Table Lamp
£ 950
O Keeffe Antiques
French Pair Of Gilded Twin Arm Wall Lights
£ 375
£ 845
Pair Of Antique Articulated Candlesticks, English, Brass, Candelabra, Victorian
£ 845
London Fine Ltd
Elmgarden
Tall Decorative Brass Table Lamp
£ 395
Marylebone Antiques
Danish Vintage Rosewood and Brass Floor Lamp
£ 945
The Antique Shop
Antique Vintage Cranberry Glass Lamp Globe / Shade
£ 135
The Antique Shop
Antique French Glass Lamp Shade
£ 125
Marylebone Antiques
Vintage Danish Rosewood and Chrome Floor Lamp
£ 795
Unique Antiques By Emma Jade
Stunning Quality Pair of Antique George III Brass Candlesticks
£ 885
Stunning Quality Pair of Antique George III Brass Candlesticks
£ 885
Unique Antiques By Emma Jade
In a Nutshell Antiques & Interiors Ltd
Antique Art Nouveau Style Brass Table Lamp
£ 140
In a Nutshell Antiques & Interiors Ltd
Antique Brass Banker's Lamp
£ 325
In a Nutshell Antiques & Interiors Ltd
Antique Turned Mahogany Table Lamp
£ 120
In a Nutshell Antiques & Interiors Ltd
Antique Chinoiserie Table Lamp
£ 140
Elmgarden
Heavy French Gothic Table Lamp
£ 350
Elmgarden
Tall French Turned Oak Table Lamp
£ 350
O Keeffe Antiques
French Large Pair Of 5 Arm Toleware Wall Lights
£ 975
O Keeffe Antiques
French Set Of 4 Gilded Antique Wall Lights
£ 1,250
£ 8,900
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?