ASEA table lamp E1325, brass and steel, Scandinavian modern, Sweden, 1950s
By ASEA
Located in Forserum, SE
By the late 1940s, ASEA had acquired several rival companies, solidifying its position as one of Sweden's premier manufacturers of light fixtures.
Brass, Steel
ASEA mid century modernist table lamp E1163, brass, Scandinavian, Sweden, 1940s
By Hans Bergström, ASEA
Located in Forserum, SE
By the late 1940s, ASEA had acquired several rival companies, solidifying its position as one of Sweden's premier manufacturers of light fixtures.
Brass, Steel
Rare ASEA mid century Scandinavian table lamp, model E1272, Sweden, 1950s
By Svend Aage Holm Sørensen, ASEA
Located in Forserum, SE
By the late 1940s, ASEA had acquired several rival companies, solidifying its position as one of Sweden's premier manufacturers of light fixtures.
Brass, Steel
Rare Erik Hoglund Eight- Arm Iron and Glass Chandelier, Sweden, circa 1970s
By Erik Höglund
Located in Wiesbaden, Hessen
A large mid-century 12 -arm wrought iron and clear glass chandelier by Erik Hoglund for Costa Boda, Sweden, circa 1970s. Height: (light fixture only) - 23.62 inches Total height : 4...
Iron
ASEA modernist table lamp model E1296, glass, steel and teak, Sweden, 1950s
By ASEA
Located in Forserum, SE
By the late 1940s, ASEA had acquired several rival companies, solidifying its position as one of Sweden's premier manufacturers of light fixtures.
Steel
ASEA mid-century wall lamp by Bo Råman, brass oak & glass, Sweden 1950s
By Bo Råman, ASEA
Located in Forserum, SE
By the late 1940s, ASEA had acquired several rival companies, solidifying its position as one of Sweden's premier manufacturers of light fixtures.
Brass
Holger Johansson Set of 6 Chandeliers with 12 Smoked Glass Shades, Sweden 1970s
By Holger Johansson
Located in Utrecht, NL
The best qualities of Swedish mid-century designers’ light fixtures are most often their atmospheric light, disciplined, functionalist design completed by unique solutions and design...
Brass
Svend Aage Holm-Sørensen Model E1296 Table Lamp for ASEA Lighting, Sweden 1950s
By Svend Aage Holm Sørensen
Located in Utrecht, NL
During the 20th century, ASEA Belysning had acquired several rival companies, solidifying its position as one of Sweden's premier manufacturers of light fixtures.
Brass
Limburg 1 of 3 Pairs of Swedish 1970s Minimalist White & Clear Glass Wall Lights
By Hans-Agne Jakobsson, Glashütte Limburg, AB Markaryd
Located in Landau an der Isar, Bayern
One of three pairs of vintage minimalist mid-century German made / Swedish designed wall-mounted light fixtures, lamps or sconces by Glashütte Limburg, circa 1970s.
Metal
Vintage Mid-Century Modern Orrefors Chandelier, Hand Blown Glass
By Orrefors
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Wear consistent with age and use, circa 1940 - 1960, Sweden, Scandinavia. Light fixture: 18.5" Height x 15.5" diameter Kosta Glasbruk, later known as Kosta Boda was a Swedish g...
Metal, Chrome
1960s, Space Age Glass and Chrome Chandelier by Carl Fagerlund for Orrefors
By Orrefors
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Beautiful chandelier designed by Carl Fagerlund for Orrefors, Sweden. This light fixture is made of metal, chrome and lovely elements of glass on the edge. - gorgeous Scandinavian la...
Metal, Chrome
Chandeliers — simple in form, inspired by candelabras and originally made of wood or iron — first made an appearance in early churches. For those wealthy enough to afford them for their homes in the medieval period, a chandelier's suspended lights likely exuded imminent danger, as lit candles served as the light source for fixtures of the era. Things have thankfully changed since then, and antique chandeliers and pendant lights are popular in many interiors today.
While gas lighting during the late 18th century represented an upgrade for chandeliers — and gas lamps would long inspire Danish architect and pioneering modernist lighting designer Poul Henningsen — it would eventually be replaced with the familiar electric lighting of today.
The key difference between a pendant light and a chandelier is that a pendant incorporates only a single bulb into its design. Don’t mistake this for simplicity, however. An Art Deco–styled homage to Sputnik from Murano glass artisans Giovanni Dalla Fina, with handcrafted decorative elements supported by a chrome frame, is just one stunning example of the elaborate engineering that can be incorporated into every component of a chandelier. (Note: there is more than one lighting fixture that shares its name with the iconic mid-century-era satellite — see Gino Sarfatti’s design too.)
Chandeliers have evolved over time, but their classic elegance has remained unchanged.
Not only will the right chandelier prove impressive in a given room, but it can also offer a certain sense of practicality. These fixtures can easily illuminate an entire space, while their elevated position prevents them from creating glare or straining one’s eyes.
Certain materials, like glass, can complement naturally lit settings without stealing the show. Brass, on the other hand, can introduce an alluring, warm glow. While LEDs have earned a bad reputation for their perceived harsh bluish lights and a loss of brightness over their life span, the right design choices can help harness their lighting potential and create the perfect mood. A careful approach to lighting can transform your room into a peaceful and cozy nook, ideal for napping, reading or working.
For midsize spaces, a wall light or sconce can pull the room together and get the lighting job done. Perforated steel rings underneath five bands of handspun aluminum support a rich diffusion of light within Alvar Aalto's Beehive pendant light, but if you’re looking to brighten a more modest room, perhaps a minimalist solution is what you’re after. The mid-century modern furniture designer Charlotte Perriand devised her CP-1 wall lamps in the 1960s, in which a repositioning of sheet-metal plates can redirect light as needed.
The versatility and variability of these lighting staples mean that, when it comes to finding something like the perfect chandelier, you’ll never be left hanging. From the natural world-inspired designs of the Art Nouveau era to the classic beauty of Paul Ferrante's fixtures, there is a style for every room.
With designs for pendant lights and chandeliers across eras, colors and materials, you’ll never run out of options to explore on 1stDibs — shop a collection today that includes antique Art Deco chandeliers, Stilnovo chandeliers, Baccarat chandeliers and more.
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Designed by a giant of Swedish lighting, the large-scale fixtures bring major drama.
The alluring pendant light exemplifies the designer’s winsome mid-career work.
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