The Vintage Lamp To Look Out For At Thrift Stores To Elevate Your Bar Cart

Unique and whimsical décor items can help bring endless character and charm to your home, especially when they are time-worn vintage or antique pieces. Many evoke nostalgia for the past and design details from bygone eras, some with higher price tags and collector interest than others. More recently, enthusiastic TikTokkers are particularly excited about a rare early 1990s martini lamp courtesy of designer David Krys. Not only is this lamp perfect for adorning your mid-century modern-inspired home, but it also has been seen fetching over $1,000 on online auction sites in good condition.

While it may be a rare and potentially lucrative find in your neighborhood thrift store, the charm of the lamp cannot be denied as the perfect accent for your home bar or spaces decorated with a swinging 1950s or 1960s vibe. It is also a striking and large piece, standing 15 inches high and 8½-inches in diameter at the top. Made of metal, acrylic, and wood, the chrome framework of the martini glass holds a green olive aloft on a wooden skewer, whose center (a pimento) is the bulb that lights up for a cozy glow.

David Krys began making the lamp in 1993, mostly selling it at galleries and street fairs, a fact that contributes to the item's rarity and high-value today. Though made in the last decade of the century, the style of the lamp hearkens back to a swinging mid-century cocktail or Tiki culture aesthetic, reflecting a kitschy sense of humor and Pop art feel. Krys also created a similarly designed lamp with a cherry instead of an olive, which can be found for a similar value on the collector's market. The original martini lamp was usually priced under $300, but you can find them today for as little as $525 and as much as $1,500.

If you're lucky enough to stumble upon this rare find and want to hold onto it, use it to decorate a bar cart  or other home bar setup. Or use it as an accent lamp in your den or cozy man cave, paired with fun items like mid-century modern design art books and swanky atomic-era furniture and décor. If you want one, but haven't been able to track one down at an amenable price, you can also DIY a great dupe using an oversized wire glass or with a cool 3-D printer pattern for much, much less.