Vintage Stiffel Brass and Ivory Enamel Table Lamp, Tall, c. 1955–1975
Viridian Eclection
The Piece
A tall Stiffel table lamp built the way Stiffel built them, in solid brass turned and cast in sections and threaded onto a central rod, with the brass alternating against bands of ivory enamel all the way up.
It climbs through a long sequence. A weighted brass disc foot, an ivory plinth, a heavy stepped brass collar, an ivory drum, a second brass collar of stacked rings, an ivory baluster, and then the piece that carries the design: a deep cast brass cup of overlapping lotus petals, each one modelled with a raised central rib and set against the ivory bowl behind it so the petals stand clear.
Above that the ivory body swells and draws up to a narrow neck, passes another ringed brass collar, and runs on in a long reeded brass stem. Near the top sits a second, smaller cast brass artichoke bud, tightly scaled, before the stem finishes at the socket.
The enamel is a warm ivory rather than a cold white, and it has the slight softness of an aged finish rather than the flatness of new paint. The brass has mellowed to a deep unpolished gold with darker tone in the recesses of the castings.
It carries a white ribbed empire shade dressed with gold braid and crystal drop fringe at both the top and bottom rims, and a moulded oxblood openwork finial.
History & Provenance
The socket shell carries the maker foil, printed THE STIFFEL COMPANY with a copyright symbol, and it is clean and fully legible. That is a direct attribution rather than an inference from style.
The Stiffel Company was founded in Chicago by Ted Stiffel and built its reputation on solid brass lamps assembled from turned and cast components rather than spun shells or plated pot metal, sold through furniture showrooms and department stores as the quality American lamp of its era. The brass and enamel line, in which sections of coloured enamel alternate with cast brass collars, is one of its signature programmes, and the deep lotus petal cup is a Stiffel casting used across several models.
The dating rests on the label form together with the construction. A foil socket label of this type, and the sectional brass over enamel assembly, belong to the middle decades of the company's output rather than to its earliest or latest work. No model number is present on the lamp.
The shade and the finial are later and are not Stiffel. Stiffel supplied plain shades. A ribbed shade dressed with gold braid and crystal drop fringe at both rims, and a moulded oxblood openwork finial, are a decorator restyle done at some point after the lamp left the factory. They suit the lamp and they are in good order, but they are described here for what they are.
Product Details
| Era | c. 1955–1975. Attributed directly by the maker foil on the socket shell rather than inferred from style. The label form, printed THE STIFFEL COMPANY with a copyright symbol, together with the sectional solid brass over ivory enamel construction, places the lamp in the middle decades of the company's output. No model number is present. The shade and finial are later additions and carry no weight in the dating |
| Maker | The Stiffel Company, Chicago. Foil label to the socket shell, clean and fully legible |
| Form | Tall sectional baluster column: weighted brass disc foot, alternating ivory enamel and cast brass collars, deep lotus petal cup, reeded brass stem with a second artichoke bud near the socket |
| Material | Solid brass, turned and cast in sections, with ivory enamel bands |
| Shade and finial | White ribbed empire shade with gold braid and crystal drop fringe at both rims, on a brass harp, with a moulded oxblood openwork finial. Both later than the lamp and not by Stiffel |
| Wiring | Single socket with a turn knob switch. Not rewired. Have it checked by an electrician before use |
| Marks | Maker foil to the socket shell. No model number found |
| Dimensions | Approximately 38 in. high overall to the top of the finial by 15 in. across the shade |
| Condition | Very good. Brass sound with an even mellow unpolished patina and no dents or losses to the castings, the lotus petals crisp and complete. Ivory enamel intact with light handling marks and faint scuffing on the lower drum. Socket label clean. Shade clean with light toning, braid and crystal fringe complete at both rims with no missing drops. Stands square and heavy |
Why It Belongs in Your Home
Stiffel is the name people reach for when they want a vintage lamp that is actually well made, and the reason is in the hand. This is solid brass in sections, not a plated shell, and it has the weight to prove it. It will not be knocked over by a passing dog.
At around three feet it does real work. On a console, a sideboard or a bedroom chest it throws light at standing height rather than only pooling it on the surface it sits on, and the narrow column takes up almost no room while doing it.
The ivory and brass combination is the easy part. It sits with walnut, with painted furniture, with leather, with almost any wall colour, and the lotus castings give it enough ornament to hold a room without tipping into fuss. If the crystal fringe is not your taste, a plain silk shade takes it straight back to the original Stiffel look in about a minute.
Every piece is packed with professional-grade materials: multiple foam layers, double-boxing, directional and fragile handling labels. For large furniture we use custom timber crating. We photograph packing before dispatch and can provide images on request.
White-glove delivery is complimentary within 100 miles of Reno, NV. National shipping quotes provided at checkout. All shipments are photographed and documented. Damage claims must be filed with the carrier; we provide all documentation needed to support your claim.
Local pickup is available at Viridian HQ (Reno, NV) with 2–4 days notice. Contact us to arrange. Private viewings also available.
All antique and vintage items are sold as described and all sales are final. Each listing includes detailed condition notes and photographs so you can make a fully informed decision. We encourage buyers to ask questions — about condition, dimensions, finish, provenance — before purchasing.
Antiques are irreplaceable and one-of-a-kind. Carrier handling is outside our control once a piece has left our facility, and major carriers including FedEx do not insure antiques. We do everything within our power to ensure safe transit, but cannot accept liability for carrier damage. If damage occurs in transit, we will provide full documentation to support your carrier claim.
Have a question? — we're happy to provide additional photos, condition detail, or discuss the piece directly.
