Valuable Vintage Lamps You Should Always Buy If You See Them At Thrift Stores

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Thrifting a gorgeous vintage lamp takes more than good taste and luck of the draw. Instead, you'll want to familiarize yourself with notable brands, distinctive retro designs, and common materials from the 20th century so you can find the perfect vintage lamp for your space. These lamps are a great investment, whether you're a collector, reseller, or simply fond of the stylish look.

There are even specific vintage lamps to look for when shopping at thrift stores. Many of these lamps have historical significance, come from renowned brands, and have unbeatable artistry and craftsmanship. Plus, a lot of them are handcrafted from high-quality glass and metal and have unique features beyond those of standard light fixtures. It can be hard to tell if a thrift store lamp is worth anything. So, before you embark on your hunt, learn about the top lamps you should keep an eye out for, including what makes them so valuable and how much they typically sell for.

You may have seen the gorgeous Hollywood Regency-inspired lotus lamps that have taken over social media. These intricate lamps are designed with stained glass and have smooth metal accents that emulate a living lotus flower. The individual flowers can be moved and redirected to shine their light at different parts of a room, making them as functional as they are beautiful. There are several brands behind this creative design, but Anthony California is among the most well-known vintage creators. Many valuable Anthony California pieces are from the 1980s, making them a mid to late vintage item. If you're a fan of period dramas, you may have spotted these lamps in the background of films trying to emulate past decades. Their cinematic presence could be another driving factor for why they are so popular. However, their main appeal is their gorgeous handiwork, which is hard for mass producers to replicate at an affordable price. For example, there are less intricate lotus lamps on sites like Amazon, and they are nowhere near as extravagant as their vintage predecessors.

It's easy to spot vintage lotus flower lamps due to their intricate detailing and sturdy builds made with etched glass and brass frames. Both the table and floor lamp versions are highly valued by collectors. On sites like eBay, they sell for $200 up to $950, depending on the condition, rarity, style, and size. 

The lotus flower lamps aren't the only nature-inspired lamps to watch for in thrift stores. There's another beautiful vintage lamp brand you can thrift: Harris Industries' floral lamps. The acrylic lampshades are easy to spot and are shaped like several flower species, including tulips and lilies. These table and desk lamps have a similar design to Anthony California's lotus lamps and came out around the same time period. Many online listings are from the 1970s and '80s. Although they were released during a similar era as the lotus flower lamps, these designs are slightly less valuable to collectors. 

There aren't many online listings for these flower lamps, meaning they could be a lucky find in thrift stores. Online, they're often sold for around $200 to $500 on sites like eBay and Etsy. So, if you come across them in the wild, you've likely stumbled on an original, expensive, and vintage lamp.

Tiffany Studios, not to be mistaken for Tiffany & Co., arose in the 19th century, producing gorgeous Art Nouveau lamps and lampshades. The bronze lamp bases and stained glass shades are considered the most valuable. The designs are so eye-catching that they're hard to miss even when buried in a crowd of home goods at thrift stores. Aside from being produced by a reputable and vintage brand, these lamps feature bases that are made of solid bronze with a lead ring, making them heavy, sturdy, and durable. The stained glass is authentically stained, not painted, adding to its artistic quality. No two pieces are exactly alike, making them as historical as they are beautiful.

The detail in a vintage Tiffany Studios lamp is unmistakable. Instead of being made of lightweight plastic or having a hollow center like many modern lamps, these pieces should feel heavy in your hands. The bronze lamp base may even have a slight natural patina from age, and you may find the words "Tiffany Studios New York" etched on the bottom. These lamps are worth a small fortune, with many costing from $500 to around $20,000 on auction sites like eBay and Chairish. For a better idea of just how expensive these lamps are, know that many are displayed in museums as historical pieces of art.

Oil rain lamps took off in the 1960s and 1970s and have an appearance unlike other lamps from that era. Many are shaped in a traditional lantern style with a classical figurine in the center beneath a bright light. A pump drips oil down thin threads encircling the center statue and light, creating the illusion of soft rain. The original lamp concept had a classical goddess in the center, though artists created more scenes and figurines over time. Johnson Industries was the original artist behind it, but other vintage brands also put their own spin on the design.

The original lamps featured plastic greenery and fishing line for the "rain" to run down. Fortunately and unfortunately, there aren't many cheap and modern renditions of these lamps due to their uniqueness and functional features. So, there's almost no chance of finding an affordable alternative. Buyers will dish out a lot of money to restore a non-working one or to purchase one that's already been restored. Refurbished vintage rain oil lamps are worth $400 to over $1,000 on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and Etsy. If you want to ID your find, use Rain Oil Lamps' Catalog, which has images, model numbers, and sizes of various Johnson Industries models.

Keep in mind that these lamps aren't a one-time purchase. Aside from changing the lightbulb, the mineral oil and pump also require replacement over time. Use either a generic mineral oil like Swan Mineral Oil or a specialized oil lamp rain product like Rain Oil Lamps Drakeol to replace and refill the lamp as needed. 

Ralph Lauren is a visionary in fashion and home design, and his vintage productions have been in style for over 40 years. Among his vintage furniture collections are Chinoiserie-style porcelain lamps that befit traditional and modern interior designs. These designer lamps have blue and white patterns, sometimes decorated with florals and koi fish. A sturdy mahogany wood base is at the bottom, often marked by a gold plate that reads, "Lauren." Due to its versatility and timelessness, it's one lamp you should never skip if you see it at the thrift store.

Unlike most lamp styles, a vintage Ralph Lauren lamp is worth less than a modern purchase. However, if you find a vintage one for resale, it's likely far more valuable than whatever price has been slapped on it. The blue and white porcelain lamps go for around $100 to $175 each on eBay and Etsy, with pairs of two sometimes selling for over $500.

The David Krys martini lamps are hard to pass by. They're unmistakable with their martini glass shape that's topped with an olive and decorative toothpick. The original release is only about 30 years old, making it a newer vintage piece, but it still has exceptional value among decades-old lamps. It gives off an art deco look with a chrome body base, an acrylic olive, and a little red bulb. The designer is also well known for making tiki-inspired lamps, but the martini glass design is among his most highly coveted pieces.

This lamp is eccentric enough that there aren't widespread imitations of the original model. So, if you spot one out thrift shopping, it's likely a David Krys original from the 1990s. Collectors are willing to pay between $200 and $400 to acquire one of these lamps on eBay or Facebook Marketplace. However, Chairish lists the lamp for nearly $1,000, showing how greatly prices fluctuate depending on current demand. Even at the low end, martini glass lamps are worth a lot more than standard thrift store prices.

Glass fairy lamps are a gorgeous vintage decor trend that deserves a major comeback. These decorative fixtures date back to the 19th century when they were used as a safer alternative to an open flame for illuminating rooms. Then, in the 1970s, manufacturers like Indiana Glass made them popular again as colorful accent pieces.

These fairy glass lamps feature striking styles often found in vintage pieces. The intricate etching of the glass is a telltale sign of the age and value. Rarer styles, like the Viking Glass owl fairy lamps, have been sold for around $300 on eBay, with one seller fetching nearly $1,000. More standard and popularized styles aren't as expensive and are listed for around $50 on Etsy, still highly valuable compared to many other thrift store finds. 

The Nesso, now rebranded as the Nessino, is an Italian design from the 1960s. The retro lamp is a single glossy color and resembles a mushroom or jellyfish. If you come across it, it's one of the most valuable mushroom lamps that will look perfect in any room. Originally created by the brand Artemide, the Nesso is well-known for its simple but incredibly aesthetic appearance. The original collection was made of polycarbonate and designed by Giancarlo Mattioli. The mid-century modern model was innovative when it first came out with a smooth shape that diffused ambient light with style.

An original Artemide Nesso is highly valuable because of its iconic style. However, since the original was made of plastic, it's been easy for other brands to recreate it at a far more budget-friendly price. Sites like Amazon, AliExpress, and Temu sell these lamps for cheap. However, if you come across an original Nesso, it's worth far more than its copies. The original lamp is made of heat-resistant polycarbonate, which is a higher quality plastic than the PVC used in some modern reproductions. Original vintage Nessos have sold for up to $300 on eBay and are listed at a similar price point on Etsy.

The Nesso wasn't the only innovative lamp released by Artemide. The brand was also behind another vintage lamp that looks more contemporary than antique. The Tizio lamp collection was an innovative and modern design released a little after the Nesso, in the 1970s. It has a simple, polished look and has a counterbalance feature that enables light to be directed without a bunch of extra wires. The simplicity of it was futuristic at the time, and over the years, the same lamp has been redesigned and innovated to become even more functional while retaining its iconic shape.

Both the modern and vintage releases of the Tizio lamp are valuable. A vintage edition of this lamp goes for over $150 on eBay. They are also listed for around $300 on Etsy and well over $500 on Chairish. So, keep an eye out for this industrial find as you're browsing the thrift store shelves.