Antique Floor Lamps - World's Best Reading Lamps

First we will define antique floor lamp. Obviously a floor lamp normally rests upon a floor rather than resting upon a table, the wall or perhaps the ceiling. The normal definition of an antique means something coming from a bygone era. This places the word away from legal arena and into common usage. "era" is general perceived and is defined as a long indefinite time period which also works out perfectly for this general definition. This general definition works perfectly since any identification of an "antique floor lamp" is pretty useless without a while period designation normally in the form of circa 1905 which literally means "about the year 1905". So I will use the word antique floor lamp on this basis and often substitute it using the term vintage floor lamp. This discussion will not address modern reproductions of antique lamps which is another at the mercy of itself.

Increasing numbers of people are learning how to appreciate the standard and styling of antique floor lamps especially as most of the people being produced today are molded plastic and literally intended to be thrown away. Most all floor lamp makers through the turn of the century made their lamps from heavy metals such as cast iron, brass, steel and cast zinc sometimes along with marble, onyx, glass and stone. Our lamp shop regularly restores these antique contemporary floor lamps for resale and for our customers' own use. From your thirty years of expertise it is actually clear that several of these antique floor lamps may last for years and years. The electrical components, the material shades and also the painted finishes often need restoration but a majority of were made using such top quality, that they are a far greater value than completely new top end lamps that sell for most large sums of money. There are actually another surprises about these collectible works of art below.

High quality, beauty and performance were powerful influences about the makers of antique floor lamps. Lots of people are conscious of their outstanding quality and sweetness but completely surprised concerning the highly developed functional and technical characteristics. There are actually far too many examples to list here having said that i will mention a few the more important ones.

The brightest lamp you could purchase today in virtually any store was built and made circa 1920. It is additionally one of the most versatile lamp that you could buy anywhere. Further it will outlast most any modern lamp that you can find at any price. This antique floor lamp is famous by way of a numerous names including: 6 Way Floor Lamp, Reflector Floor Lamp, and "JUNIOR". The look starts off with a heavy metal base sometimes highly decorated with an upright tubing leading to a central electrical socket in the middle of 3 arm lights (4 lights total). The central light requires a 3 way bulb (low-medium-high) that can be a MOGUL size which happens to be greater than a standard socket with higher wattage (100-200-300 watts). The 3 arm lights are controlled by a switch that will turn on separately just 1, 2 or all 3 of the arm lights. Further, a number of these JUNIORS experienced a small light beneath the base which provided an incredibly subtle evening time floor light operated from a foot switch mounted on the side of the base. Just as if this were inadequate, the central top socket is encased within a large metal cup which holds a white waffle patterned glass bowl that reflects light upward to bounce in the ceiling. A fabric or silk shade (also referred to as JUNIOR shade) rests upon the glass reflector bowl to mirror light downward for reading. An individual arm light provides a simple night light or at it brightest setting, it may illuminate a whole room. There is not any brighter lamp or even more versatile lamp available anywhere today and it was made and made nearly a hundred years ago!

One of the best reading lamps on earth was designed circa 1920. This has been highly imitated however it still remains unchallenged. The Bridge Arm Floor Lamp or Bridge Lamp features a typical floor lamp design with metal base and upright standard which may take the type of various types of decorated tubing, twisted iron rods, etc. At the top of the conventional is a decorative cast metal arm with a graceful arc or curvature which ends with the electrical socket pointing downward and included in a fabric or glass shade. This has the outcome of offsetting the sunshine by about 14-18" from the upright standard at the same time lowering it that it is closer to the reading material or work project. The result is a great reading lamp or work lamp which places the sunshine bulb very close to the task accessible. Most of these Bridge Arm Floor Lamps have convenient pull chains which hang below the foot of the lamp shade for simplicity of operation.