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Art Deco and Vintage Lighting Gifts, by Person and Occasion

Lamp gifts matched to the person: the old-house restorer, the reader, the stained-glass lover, the mid-century collector, the renter and the Gatsby party host.

By Art Deco Lighting editorial teamUpdated 4 min read9 sources

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Stained glass table lamp with a floral shade in green, pink and amber on a bronze-finish base
Stained glass table lamp with a floral shade in green, pink and amber on a bronze-finish base

The best lighting gift matches how the person lives. A reader gets a bankers lamp; a stained-glass lover gets a small Tiffany-style accent lamp; an old-house owner gets a schoolhouse shade or period sconce; a renter gets a plug-in lamp. Give a new lamp, or a vintage one with its wiring checked, and add a warm LED bulb.

Before you wrap a vintage lamp

The CPSC warns that “a frayed or cracked cord could cause a shock or fire.” Have a vintage lamp’s cord, plug and socket checked or replaced before you give it, and include a bulb no higher than its marked wattage. Hardwired fixtures need a qualified electrician; our rewiring guide explains the parts.

Gifts by person

The old-house owner restoring a 1920s home

They want period pieces that suit the house. A schoolhouse shade is an easy, low-cost upgrade: Antique Lamp Supply still sells an “Early 20th Century Schoolhouse style” shade, so the gift can be a matching shade for a fixture they already own. Ask them the fitter size first; our schoolhouse and bankers lamp guide explains how to measure it. A pair of period sconces is the bigger gift, covered in the chandelier and sconce guide.

The reader and writer

A bankers lamp, the green-shaded desk lamp that began with the Emeralite in 1909, according to the Emeralite collector history. A vintage Emeralite is a collectible; a new bankers lamp is a working desk light. A brass piano or desk lamp suits the same person.

Bankers lamps for the reader

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The stained-glass lover

A small Tiffany-style accent lamp, or a dragonfly shade: the Dayton Art Institute credits the Dragonfly design to Clara Driscoll of Tiffany Studios. Buy a reproduction as a reproduction; our Tiffany-style lamp guide covers sizes and the identification guide explains why no gift should be sold as a “real Tiffany” without an expert’s opinion.

Tiffany-style accent lamps

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The mid-century collector

A vintage table lamp from the 1950s or 1960s, or a Bubble pendant: Herman Miller says George Nelson first designed the series in 1952 and still sells it. The mid-century lighting guide explains licensed designs and “inspired by” lamps, which matters for a collector.

The renter who cannot hardwire

Plug-in lamps only. A table lamp, a desk lamp or a floor lamp moves with them to the next apartment. If you choose a torchiere, give it with an LED bulb: the CPSC warned in 1996 that the tubular halogen bulbs in most torchiere lamps can reach about 970 to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit.

The home-office worker

A brass desk lamp or a green bankers lamp, with an LED bulb. The FTC notes that an LED giving the 800 lumens of a 60-watt incandescent uses about 9 watts, so it draws little power through a long working day.

The host of a Gatsby or Roaring Twenties party

Deco table lamps grouped on a sideboard set the scene, and unlike party decorations they stay useful afterward. The V&A describes art deco as spanning “the boom of the roaring 1920s,” so the style is the period’s own. Add LED candle lamps for the table and keep open flames away from fabric. For the bar corner itself, our sister site covers vintage cocktail shakers, including deco designs.

Art deco lamps for a Gatsby party and after

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The interior designer or architecture fan

A reference book or a statement lamp. Two books on Tiffany lighting that Sotheby’s cites in its catalog notes are The Lamps of Tiffany Studios by William Feldstein Jr. and Alastair Duncan (1983) and The Lamps of Tiffany Studios: Nature Illuminated by Margaret K. Hofer and Rebecca Klassen (2016). For a statement lamp, start with the museum pieces in our art deco table and floor lamp guide.

Period piece or new lamp?

Decide this before anything else, because it changes what you give. A period lamp is an object with a history: a signed bankers lamp, a slag glass lamp from the early 1900s, a deco figural lamp. It suits a collector or someone restoring an old house, and it needs its wiring checked before it is used. A new lamp in a period style is the practical gift: it arrives with a modern cord and plug, and it can go straight onto a desk.

If you choose vintage, ask the seller for photos of the base, any marks and the cord. Our antique lamp guide lists where marks are found and what they can and cannot prove.

What should come with a lamp gift?

A lamp that works the day it is unwrapped. Put in:

  • A bulb. Choose by lumens: the FTC says a 60-watt incandescent gives about 800 lumens, which an LED matches at about 9 watts. Check the lamp’s marked maximum wattage first.
  • The right shade fitting. If you are giving a shade alone, confirm the fitter size or harp type with the recipient.
  • A note on the wiring. For a vintage lamp, say whether it has been rewired and when.
  • For a hardwired fixture, the installation. A chandelier or sconce needs a qualified electrician; offer to cover the visit.

Gifts by occasion

Occasion Idea Why it works
Housewarming or a first home A plug-in table lamp or bankers lamp No installation, fits any room
Wedding or anniversary A pair of lamps or sconces Two matching pieces for a shared home
The holiday season A Tiffany-style accent lamp Colored glass that glows on a winter evening
Mother’s Day or Father’s Day A desk or reading lamp A gift used every day
Retirement A reference book with a period lamp Time to read about, and restore, old pieces

For a new home, our sister site’s cozy housewarming gifts pairs well with a lamp. Start with the art deco lighting guide to find the right era.

Frequently asked questions

Is a vintage lamp a good gift?

Yes, if the wiring is dealt with. The CPSC warns that a frayed or cracked cord could cause a shock or fire, so have a vintage lamp's cord and socket checked or replaced before you wrap it, or give a new lamp in a period style.

What is a good art deco housewarming gift?

A plug-in table or desk lamp: it needs no installation and suits a new home of any size. A bankers lamp or a small Tiffany-style accent lamp are easy choices.

What lighting suits a Gatsby or Roaring Twenties party?

Art deco table lamps as decor, grouped on a sideboard or bar cart, plus LED candle lamps. Keep open flames and hot halogen bulbs away from fabric.

What do you give someone who collects Tiffany-style lamps?

A reference book on Tiffany Studios lamps, or a small leaded accent lamp in a pattern they do not have yet, such as a dragonfly shade.

Can I give a chandelier as a gift?

Yes, but pair it with the installation. Chandeliers are hardwired, so a qualified electrician should fit it and confirm the ceiling box can carry its weight.

Collection: Art decoIntroduction: Art Deco Lighting: How to Recognize and Buy 1920s and 1930s Lamps

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