1950s Mid-Century Modern Table or Desk Lamp, a Metal and Glass "Tour De Force"

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Such an electrifying presence! This table lamp threatens to turn your desk into an exhibit... so you'll probably be required … Read more Such an electrifying presence! This table lamp threatens to turn your desk into an exhibit... so you'll probably be required to keep it a little more tidy than before. Such is the high price of beauty and esthetics...and being a leader in your field.

I'm sure, judging by the design, that this lamp was made somewhere around 1950-1960, but that's as adventurous as I can get. The glass shade on the bottom suggests that time frame to me (the earlier part of that spread). Glass shades of this nature I typically associate with 40s or 50s lighting.

The holes in the metal part of the shade provide heat escapement as well as design bling. There ae two groups of holes, one around the rim, in a sort of snowflake pattern, the other around the top, where most of the heat will escape. This is good, as there are two sockets.

As you can see from the photos, the light on your desk will be very nicely diffused; it can be directed by the swivel ball above the shade, so the shade can move in any direction.

The lamp is made of several metal elements -- the top of the shade is steel and so is the curved black element. The curved tube inside the curved black part holds the wire and is plated chrome or polished nickel. That part is probably brass under the chrome or nickel. The base is probably made of white metal, with a polished brass finish. There are a couple of small areas where there is some disturbance to the finish, and also a few small places where the brass has been polished away, revealing the white metal below. As mentioned, the bottom of the shade is made of glass, and has a mottled finish, which enhances the diffusion of the light. At the bottom of the glass shade is the switch -- one turn on, one turn off. There's a knurled nut above the switch which allows you to easily and quickly remove the shade when you need to change the bulbs. I'll send these two bulbs with the lamp.

I suspect that a previous owner restored the black finish on the parts where it appears. It's just too good to have survived all those years of use. In any event, the parts are extremely well painted -- gloss black.

I've seen few more compelling desk lamps from this period.

Measurements: the lamp stands 17 inches high. The shade is about 13 inches in diameter, and the highest part of the glass shade sits about 11 inches off the desk. The base is five and three-quarters square. See less