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.
Norfolk Trade Antiques
Stunning Large Pair of 19th Century Church Candlesticks
£ 750
Marylebone Antiques
Large Pair of Art Deco Glass Table Lamps
£ 1,500
Millers Antiques
Blue Lacquer Standard Floor Lamp
£ 375
Church Street Antiques
20th Century Stained Glass Table Lamp
£ 2,650
London City Antiques
Unusual Antique French Onyx & Ormolu Extending Floor Lamp
£ 1,850
Church Street Antiques
1930s Crystal "Mushroom" Table Lamp
£ 480
£ 245
Unique Antiques By Emma Jade
Lovely Pair of Antique Victorian Brass Candlesticks
£ 145
O Keeffe Antiques
French Gilded 6 Light Antique Crystal Chandelier
£ 1,450
Unique Antiques By Emma Jade
Wonderful Pair of Arts & Crafts Brass Candlesticks
£ 245
O Keeffe Antiques
French Pair of Bronze Antique Wall Sconces
£ 975
Marylebone Antiques
Art Deco Period Copper Desk Lamp
£ 375
Unique Antiques By Emma Jade
Quality Pair of Antique Victorian Brass Candlesticks
£ 165
In a Nutshell Antiques & Interiors Ltd
Pair of Victorian 'Diamond Princess' Brass Candlesticks
£ 85
Pair of Victorian 'Diamond Princess' Brass Candlesticks
£ 85
In a Nutshell Antiques & Interiors Ltd
Unique Antiques By Emma Jade
Stunning Pair of Antique Victorian Brass Candlesticks
£ 225
The Old Yard
Large Victorian Copper Lantern Pendant Light
£ 600
£ 245
Georgian Antiques
Matched Pair of Victorian Brass Lamps (now Electric)
£ 1,200
Georgian Antiques
Victorian Glass & EPNS Lamp
£ 750
O Keeffe Antiques
French Small Gilded Triple Light Hall Lantern
£ 575
Indigojollyphant Antiques
1920s English Brass Pullman Lamp Brass Table Lamp
£ 95
O Keeffe Antiques
Italian Dark Gilded 8 Light Chandelier
£ 695
O Keeffe Antiques
English Pair of Triple Arm Antique Wall Lights
£ 675
The Lakes Emporium
George II Silver Candlestick Assayed for Sheffield Dated 1783
£ 155
B Southgate
Wooden Tripod Mid Century Floor Lamp
£ 335
B Southgate
Continental Mid Century Floor Lamp
£ 265
B Southgate
French Mid Century Floor Lamp
£ 525
D and A Binder LTD
Mid Century Brass & White Glass Ceiling
£ 720
£ 350
O Keeffe Antiques
French 19th Century Four Light Bag Antique Chandelier
£ 795
£ 245
O Keeffe Antiques
Florentine Pair of Giltwood Leaf Wall Lights
£ 895
William Rand Antiques
Quality Four Tier Waterfall Chandelier
£ 325
William Rand Antiques
Arts & Crafts Patinated Brass Lantern
£ 265
The Antique Shack
Candelabra: Quality Five Sconce Candelabra with Scarce Lozenge Shaped Glass Embellishment
£ 225
Candelabra: Quality Five Sconce Candelabra with Scarce Lozenge Shaped Glass Embellishment
£ 225
The Antique Shack
£ 5,950
Piers Rankin Silver Antiques
Pair of Dual Purpose Edwardian Silver Candlesticks or Lamps
£ 445
Pair of Dual Purpose Edwardian Silver Candlesticks or Lamps
£ 445
Piers Rankin Silver Antiques
£ 329
Tall Impressive 20th Century Vintage Bronzed Alabaster Statue Table Lamp
£ 329
Artsonline.org.uk
£ 84.99
William Rand Antiques
Fantastic Art Deco Solid Silver Table Lamp
£ 875
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?