Everything to Know About Antique Desk Lamps
Antique desk lamps provide a warm, beautiful decoration to almost any home or office. You can find an antique desk lamp in a variety of styles and prices. While some true antique lamps are very expensive, there are also modern reproduction lamps available at a much lower cost. Whether you are hunting for a true antique or a replica, consider your current decor when choosing the perfect antique desk lamp.
There are many styles of antique desk lamps. The bankers lamp style is one of the most common. These most often feature a brass post, pull chain, and blue or green glass lamp shade. While this curved glass lamp shade is most traditional for the banker style, there are a great variety of glass shades including stained glass, such as the Tiffany lamps. Other glass shade colors include amber, caramel, and pink. Consider the hues you want the lamp to project. Lighting is a key element in the mood and ambiance of any room.
While most antique desk lamps have the similar features of brass or porcelain base, pull chain, and long shade wrapping around the bulb, there are a wide variety of artistic styles that adorn these basic elements. These include Art Deco (as seen in most Tiffany styles), Art Nouveau, Gothic, Victorian, Oriental, and more. The beautiful thing about these lamps is that they brighten a room even when they are not turned on!
Brass is a very common metal used in old lamps, but you can find them in pewter and wood also. Carved wooden lamps can be a beautiful addition to a wooden desk or office. Some antique lamps are all brass, like old piano lamps that feature a long, thin lamp shade. A solid brass lamp may be less intricate and ornate than a stained glass one, but it will also prove to be the most solid and durable. It may be that a less bold lamp is the best choice for your office decor.
Finding an authentic antique desk lamp can prove to be a challenge. Purchase from a reputable source, or have a specialist on hand when making a high dollar purchase. Choose a lamp with all original pieces when paying top dollar for an antique. These lamps may be found in antique stores or via the Internet on sites such as eBay. You may get lucky at a garage sale, or find a treasure at an estate sale. Replicas can be found at most home furnishing stores. Once you've purchased an antique lamp, make sure to get it checked out electrically. Old wiring may need to be replaced.
In choosing an antique desk lamp, keep in mind the function as well as the aesthetic. Are you trying to light an entire room or just a focused area on your desk? Modern rooms styles can sometimes be more of a challenge to find the appropriate antique lamp, whereas rooms with a more retro or classic style are pretty easy to adorn with any antique lamp. Whatever the case, antique lamps can provide a warm light to any office while displaying a beauty of yesteryear.
