How to Research Antique Wooden Lamps
Lamps can run the gamut from early 19th-century oil lamps to the groovy lava lamps of the 1960s. As the decorative aspect of lamps became as important as their functional aspect, more materials were introduced in their construction, including wood. Because of the beauty and character of antique wooden lamps, some collectors focus exclusively on these pieces. Finding information about a wooden lamp is a matter of searching the library, the Internet or consulting an expert.
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Instructions
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Examine your lamp. The more you know about your piece, the easier it will be to research. Look for a paper label or an incised maker's mark. Examine anything you received with the lamp, such as a box, a receipt or paperwork. Any of these may give you clues to who made the lamp and when. Use that information as you research the piece in collectors' guides or online.
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Look at lamp collectors' books. Take a trip to the library or bookstore to hunt for lamp guidebooks. Use these to search for information on wooden lamps. Some collectors' guides include: "Antique Lamp Buyer's Guide: Identifying Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Lighting" by Nadja Maril; "Antique Trader Lamps & Lighting Price Guide" by Kyle Husfloen; and "American Lighting 1840-1940" by Nadja Maril.
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Search online. Use any manufacturing information you have about your lamp in order to search the Internet. Try to match your lamp to inventory at a large Web-based antiques store or an auction site such as eBay. Also, check auction database services such as Prices4Antiques in order to research the prices realized for antique lamps. A site such as this does charge a membership fee in order to access information.
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Study the Arts and Crafts period. The Arts and Crafts movement, a period that began in the 1880s and stayed influential until the 1930s, produced many styles used in wooden lamps. Look for books that focus on that period of furniture making sure to see if your lamp was manufactured during, or was influenced by, this movement. Some examples of such books include "Arts and Crafts Furniture" by John Andrews or "Arts and Crafts Furniture: From Classic to Contemporary" by Kevin Rodel and Jonathan Binzen.
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Ask an antiques dealer. Someone who specializes in antique furniture and fixtures may be able to help you learn more about your piece. Besides their personal knowledge of vintage lamps, many antiques store owners and dealers have their own library of antiques reference material that they can consult.
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