Slag Glass Lampshade
Mid-20th Century Unknown Archaistic Chandeliers and Pendants
Slag Glass
Recent Sales
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Glass
Crystal
Finding the Right Lighting for You
The right table lamp, outwardly sculptural chandelier or understated wall pendant can work wonders for your home. While we’re indebted to thinkers like Thomas Edison for critically important advancements in lighting and electricity, we’re still finding new ways to customize illumination to fit our personal spaces all these years later. A wide range of antique and vintage lighting can be found on 1stDibs.
Today, lighting designers like the self-taught Bec Brittain have used the flexible structure of LEDs to craft glamorous solutions by working with what is typically considered a harsh lighting source. By integrating glass and mirrors, reflection can be used to soften the glow from LEDs and warmly welcome light into any space.
Although contemporary innovators continue to impress, some of the classics can’t be beat.
Just as gazing at the stars allows you to glimpse the universe’s past, vintage chandeliers like those designed by Gino Sarfatti and J. & L. Lobmeyr, for example, put on a similarly stunning show, each with a rich story to tell.
As dazzling as it is, the Arco lamp, on the other hand, prioritizes functionality — it’s wholly mobile, no drilling required. Designed in 1962 by architect-product designers Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, the piece takes the traditional form of a streetlamp and creates an elegant, arching floor fixture for at-home use.
There is no shortage of modernist lighting similarly prized by collectors and casual enthusiasts alike — there are Art Deco table lamps created in a universally appreciated style, the Tripod floor lamp by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, Greta Magnusson Grossman's sleek and minimalist Grasshopper lamps and, of course, the wealth of mid-century experimental lighting that emerged from Italian artisans at Arredoluce, FLOS and many more are hallmarks in illumination innovation.
With decades of design evolution behind it, home lighting is no longer just practical. Crystalline shaping by designers like Gabriel Scott turns every lighting apparatus into a luxury accessory. A new installation doesn’t merely showcase a space; carefully chosen ceiling lights, table lamps and floor lamps can create a mood, spotlight a favorite piece or highlight your unique personality.
The sparkle that your space has been missing is waiting for you amid the growing collection of antique, vintage and contemporary lighting for sale on 1stDibs.
- What is vintage slag glass?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Slag glass is pressed opaque glass that has colored streaks throughout. It was used in everything from lamp shades to decorative bowls. On 1stDibs, you can find a collection of authentic slag glass pieces from some of the world’s top sellers.
- Can glass lampshades be painted?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Yes, a glass lampshade can be painted. It’s best to use a paint that’s designed to be applied to glass and to use the instructions that are provided with that paint to get the best results. Shop a range of antique and modern glass lampshades on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertNovember 4, 2024To identify a slag glass lamp, study its characteristics. Slag glass is often easy to spot because of its unique swirling pattern and variations in opacity that give it the appearance of marble stone. However, the material is lighter than stone. Certain makers are also known for producing slag glass lamps, such as Bradley & Hubbard, the Miller Lamp Company, the Handel Lamp Company and Tiffany Studios. Researching any maker's marks found on your lamp can help you determine if it was produced by one of these companies or by another maker known for its slag glass lamps. Alternatively, you can have a certified appraiser or knowledgeable antique dealer help you make an identification. Explore a diverse assortment of slag glass lamps on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Artisans stopped making traditional slag glass in the early 20th century. Some glass artisans continue to call their marbleized glass pieces by the name, but they do not use the same manufacturing process, which used by-products from iron smelting. On 1stDibs, shop a variety of slag glass.
- 1stDibs ExpertAugust 17, 2021Yes, it is safe to paint a glass lampshade as long as you are using glass-specific paint. One thing to note: If your lampshade is translucent (versus opaque), the paint color will look slightly different when you turn the lamp on.
Read More
This Paavo Tynell Chandelier Is a Radiant Bouquet
The alluring pendant light exemplifies the designer’s winsome mid-career work.
Ettore Sottsass Captures a Shooting Star in This Rare 1970s Floor Lamp
Before founding the Memphis Group, Sottsass bent the rules of lighting design with the wonderfully wavy Cometa.
You Don’t Need a Fictional Fairy to Get This Real Pinocchio Lamp
Warm chalet style meets cool Bauhaus functionality in Pietro Cascella’s cleverly carved creation.
Why Is Italy Such a Hotbed of Cool Design?
Patrizio Chiarparini of Brooklyn’s Duplex gallery sheds light on the lasting legacy of Italy’s postwar furniture boom.
With a High-Tech Flagship and Cool Collabs, Lladró Is Breaking the Mold for Porcelain Production
Thanks to its new leadership, the Spanish maker of figurines, busts and lighting is on a mission to update the art of porcelain for the 21st century.
Christopher Tennant’s Lamps and Dioramas Evoke Sunny Days and Seaside Locales
The former magazine editor blends elements of the Far East and America’s eastern shores, bringing wit and delight to his handmade, upcycled designs.
Paavo Tynell’s Snowflake Chandelier Warms Up Any Room
This circa 1950 piece by the legendary Finnish lighting designer spent the past several decades in a family's home in Michigan.
NASA Parachutes Inspired Lighting Designer Bec Brittain’s New Collection
In "Paraciphers," now on view at Emma Scully Gallery in New York, Brittain introduces works that were more than a decade in the making.