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Antique Lamps
Placing just the right antique lamps in a room is a very important decorating task. Lamps are used for different purposes. There are lamps to create a warm ambiance, accent lamps and functional lamps used for reading or for work.
A major development in early lighting was the oil lamp. The oil was enclosed in a metal vessel and the intensity of the light was controlled by an adjustable metal tube. Later a glass chimney was added to protect the flame from flickering and also to control the air flow. Ami Argand, in 1783, invented the argand lamp which controlled the combustion of the wick. Many of these oil type lamps have been converted to electric lamps.
There have been so many inventions to create artificial light. But the most important ones were the light bulb, invented by Sir Joseph Swan (1828-1914) who was an independent early developer of the incandescent light bulb and Thomas Alva Edison (1847 –1931) who improved on a fifty year old idea and invented the first commercially practical incandescent light. It operated when an electric current passed through a filament, which heated and produced light. Edison improved on this many times, getting successful patents along the way. These inventions transformed the way we see the world. Lamps became major design creations of sophistication and expression.
Almost anything can be made into a lamp. Here at Susan Silver Antiques, we have a vast variety of lamps: antique Chinese vase lamps, antique brass candlestick lamps, antique French bronze ormolu candlestick lamps pair of Art Deco lamps from the 20’s.
Things to think about when purchasing a lamp:
First, when choosing a lamp, think about size, shape and style.
Second, think about scale. You don’t want a small lamp on a large table or vice versa. This also applies to the shade used on the lamp.
Third, select a lamp shade that’s about three-fourths the height of the base, with the bottom of the shade being wider than the widest part of the base. A white or ivory colored shade will give more light.
Fourth, all the lamps in a room should be at the about the same height. In fact, a good trick is that the bottom of the shade should be at eye level when you are seated.
Lastly, when putting a pair of lamps on a table they shouldn’t be too close together. It will look awkward and cramped. The size of the lamp should be in scale with the size of the table. That’s a great deal to think about. Have fun picking and choosing.
Call us for any questions you might have about lamps or antiques: (413) 229-8169