This Week's Top 5 Favorite 1stdibs Items: Animal Spirit Accessories

Animals are an important part of many folks' lives. They take the form of loved ones in the pets we keep around the house who care for us, make us laugh and make us smile. They are also important for those who love communing with nature and enjoying all the living creatures that share the planet with us. In honor of those folks who love animals a lot (namely this blog writer and especially the owners of Swank) we present to you five lovely animal accessories that you can bring into your home to evoke the joy and elegance of creatures. All from this week's 1stdibs' newest listings.

1) A Thai Carved and Painted Wood Sculpture of a Stag
This piece is so regal and lovely. We love the wooden material, the soft lines and the subtle details.
Price: contact dealer
Dealer: Glen Dooley Antiques

2) A Rare Folk Art Articulated Cat Box
This cat isn't just cute; it's functional! We just love this wooden cat's abstracted shape, and love that it's actually a box---not just a sculpture. What an adorable and useful accessory to have in the home.
Price: $15,000
Dealer: Vandekar

3) Ethan Allen Running Horse Weathervane
This weather vane comes in the shape of a horse, but not just any horse. This beautiful sculptural item is kinetic-looking; it's got such a great energy and movement to the sculpture.
Price: $8,950
Dealer: Kocian DePasqua

4) Life Size Anatomical Model of Pig
Another useful animal-shaped accessory, this one might be considered more educational than useful. Of course, this might not be the greatest gift for an animal lover, considering this promotes eating said pigs.
Price: $3,800
Dealer: radio-guy

5) Crab Wall Light
Crabs don't get a lot of respect, but they're sturdy, hardy, lovely things, and always mean the beach is nearby, so they can't be all this bad. This one is functional, too; it's a light!
Price: $1,150
Dealer: Christophe Edwards
 
Don't forget to check out the rest of this week's listings from 1stdibs, where you can find more fabulous, one-of-a-kind, show-stopping pieces, as well as a number of other great items! Also: please visit our revamped Facebook page for more information about us and follow us on twitter (@swanklighting) to always be up-to-date on Swank Lighting happenings.

This Week's Top 5 Favorite 1stdibs Items: Blue Christmas

Elvis sure had it right when he sang about a blue Christmas. Though red and green certainly signify the season, a deep, cobalt blue can be just as stunning to ring in the holidays. We picked through 1stdibs newest listings to find some blue for your Christmas (or any holiday you celebrate).

1) PMR Chaise-Longue by Paulo Mendes da Rocha
This sleek modern lounger, or chaise longue, if you're fancy, comes in a nice blue color, perfect for Santa to take a break in after he's laid out all your presents.
Price: contact dealer
Dealer: Espasso

2) A Pair Of Romeo Rega Lamps
You know we love lamps here at Swank Lighting, and we just had to choose these lamps from the 1970s that have a gorgeous and rich blue hue to them.
Price: $28,050
Dealer: Mallett

3) Two 1950s Hanging Cabinets by Willy Van Der Meeren
We love these Mondrian-esque cabinets with stark, primary colors painted on the doors. One has a great, bold blue on it, and another a red (if you absolutely must have red for your holidays!)
Price: $7,176
Dealer: 1stdibs Paris

4) Val St Lambert Glass 'vase Turenne'
Another great glass piece, this time a vase. This piece comes with a great, translucent blue and a fun, playful checkerboard pattern.
Price: contact dealer
Dealer: James Robinson

5) Nadine Prado Silkscreen
We just love the creamy blue featured in this silkscreen art piece for the wall by Nadine Prado---and like that it has a rusty, earthy red to go along with it!
Price: $1,800
Dealer: IrwinFeldDesign


Don't forget to check out the rest of this week's listings from 1stdibs, where you can find more fabulous, one-of-a-kind, show-stopping pieces, as well as a number of other great items! Also: please visit our revamped Facebook page for more information about us and follow us on twitter (@swanklighting) to always be up-to-date on Swank Lighting happenings.

This Week's Top 5 Favorite 1stdibs Items: It's Christmastime!

You bet it's time for another Christmas-themed Swank Lighting 1stdibs newest listings post. With Christmas right around the corner, we can't help ourselves from delving into decor that features red, green, gold and other sparkly details. Can you blame us!?

1) Pair of 5936 Chairs by Edward Wormley
From the 1960 Dunbar catalog, "In a mature and civilized way Dunbar chairs reflect the contentments of the abundant life. The flowing curves and brass casters of this chair suggest dignity and refinement." We just like the color.
Price: $9,500
Dealer: Wyeth

2) Pair Of Lounge Chairs Designed By Klaus Grabe
We like that we're going for a green that isn't so "Christmas-y," more like an olive green. This keeps your holiday color scheme classy.
Price: $2,000
Dealer: A.K.Eleven 14

3) Rare Gio Ponti Chest
Really this has nothing to do with Christmas but gosh darn it's beautiful!
Price: $30,000
Dealer: Lost City

4) Glass Star Chandelier
Who needs a star for your tree when you can have one for your ceiling! We love the modern Christmas feel this gives off.
Price: $1,000
Dealer: Mary Ann Jones

 

5) French Bronze Leaf Centerpiece
You just can't have a Christmas-themed post with out a little holiday gold! This piece is good-looking and could be used all year round.
Price: $950
Dealer: Boo Radley's

Don't forget to check out the rest of this week's listings from 1stdibs, where you can find more fabulous, one-of-a-kind, show-stopping pieces, as well as a number of other great items! Also: please visit our revamped Facebook page for more information about us and follow us on twitter (@swanklighting) to always be up-to-date on Swank Lighting happenings.

This Week's Top 5 Favorite 1stdibs Items: Draping

Uh oh. Holiday season is here. Can you already feel all that stress weighing you down and making you miss one of the best times of year? Relax. What's that? You need help? Well let us present to you a list of items (from today's newest listings from 1stdibs, of course) that are designed to bring instant comfort and peace. No, it's not because they are a specific color, or texture. All these items have one very important element in common: draping. Items that drape are casual, comfortable and totally stress-free.

1) Comedia Chair by Christian Germanaz
No that's not a slip cover; this fancy chair sure gives off a comforting air of casualness though. The way the fabric pools at the foot of the chair means you'll be as relaxed sitting in this chair as you would looking at it.
Price: $9,000
Dealer: Demisch Damant

2) A Paco Rabanne Plastic Covered Metal Space Saver
We're not exactly sure what this is for, but it's drape-y, and made of metal, and just seems comforting.
Price: contact dealer
Dealer: Eric Appel LLC

3) Rare & Early 19thc Chintz Mariners Compass Quilt
Though in the photograph this quilt isn't draping anything, can you imagine all the draping possibilities of this item? Over chairs, the backs of sofas, you...it's got tons of potential!
Price: $6,500
Dealer: East Meets West

4) Vintage Set of 10 Marilyn Monroe Photographs by Bert Stern
There's lots of draping going on in the photographs of the beautiful Marilyn Monroe, but maybe this is more exciting than relaxing? Guess it depends on how much you love Marilyn Monroe.
Price: $78,000
Dealer: Todd Alexander Romano, LLC

5) Pair of Ghost Lamps by Atelier A / Francois Arnal
So cool! So hip! So fresh! Also, kind of drape-y, and therefore relaxing!
Price: $12,000
Dealer: Demisch Denant

Don't forget to check out the rest of this week's listings from 1stdibs, where you can find more fabulous, one-of-a-kind, show-stopping pieces, as well as a number of other great items! Also: please visit our revamped Facebook page for more information about us and follow us on twitter (@swanklighting) to always be up-to-date on Swank Lighting happenings.

This Week's Top 5 Favorite 1stdibs Items: Thankful for Great Design!

Being that Thanksgiving tomorrow, we'd thought we'd share some of the things that we're thankful for----in the design world, of course! Fortunately, this week's newest listings from 1stdibs gave us plenty of items to choose from.

  
1) Antique Ikat Panel
We're thankful for...gorgeous, antique, colorful, global patterns like ikat.
Price: $6,950
Dealer: Double Knot

2) Rare Arflex sofa design by Marco Zanuso
We're thankful for...electric colors and modern, sleek lines.
Price: $10,960
Dealer: Francesca Martire

3) Wall-mounted shelf by Joaquim Tenreiro
We're thankful for...sleek Mid-Century Modern furniture pieces made of natural materials by brilliant Brazilian designers.
Price: contact dealer
Dealer: R Gallery

4) A Rare Wedgwood Encaustic Decorated Basalt Vase
We're thankful for...cool antique items that tie us to our past.
Price: contact dealer
Dealer: Leo Kaplan, LTD.

5) Charles And Ray Eames Lounge Chair And Ottoman
We're thankful for...Eames, of course.
Price: $6,500
Dealer: No Brown Furniture


Swank Lighting's new listings on 1stdibs:

Vintage Murano Lamps by Galliano Ferro
Beautiful pair of vintage Murano lamps in netted pattern and Pulegoso glass. Blown by Galliano Ferro in the 1950's.
Price: $4,200

Vintage Murano Lamps of Green Pulegoso Wings by Seguso
Beautiful matched pair of Coke Bottle Green Murano lamps by Seguso, imported in the 1950s. The fins of clear glass in each lamp are perfectly matched - it's hard to believe these were blown individually. Thousands of trapped air bubbles give the lamps depth and texture, creating a frosty look.
Price: $5,250

Vintage Swedish Blown Glass Lamp by Marbro
During their heyday, The Marbro Lamp Company imported their glass from Italy and Sweden, primarily. Their Swedish glass has a more moody, less translucent look than their Italian glass. This lamp is Swedish Glass and is marked as a Marbro product with their label.
Price: $3,500

Don't forget to check out the rest of this week's listings from 1stdibs, where you can find more fabulous, one-of-a-kind, show-stopping pieces, as well as a number of other great items! Also: please visit our revamped Facebook page for more information about us and follow us on twitter (@swanklighting) to always be up-to-date on Swank Lighting happenings.

This Week's Top 5 Favorite 1stdibs Items: Warm Wood and Gray Greens

Sometimes our themes for each week's newest listings of 1stdibs pieces are kind of silly (like unique items and monopoly-themed items, anyone?) But other times we just like a nice, traditional grouping of furniture pieces that have to do with color or feeling. Today's furniture pieces all go quite nicely together because they feature a lovely combination of either a warm, golden natural wood tone and a dark, mysterious grayish green or grayish blue. Enjoy!

1) Rare Commode 1964
It all started with this gorgeous commode designed by the famous Italian architect and furniture designer Gio Ponti. The clean, sleek lines are augmented by the gorgeous, randomly placed, warm wood-toned drawers and the rest of it is painted this deep and rich dark gray green. We love it.
Price: contact dealer
Dealer: Morateur

2) English Settee in Teal English Cotton
We are such huge fans of old-fashioned antique sofas reupholstered in contemporary fabrics and materials. What we love about this bold teal blue is that it's not that unusual for the piece, and actually gives it quite the royal feel.
Price: contact dealer
Dealer: Antony Todd

3) T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings Monumental Sideboard For Widdicomb
Like a wall of warm-toned wood, this sturdy and masculine sideboard takes up a lot of visual space, but its casual wood tone color means it knows how to play nice in interiors, too.
Price: $12,500
Dealer: 20th Century Interiors

4) Silk Floss Embroidered Antependium
We just couldn't have picked out a silk floss embroidered antependium with better colors for today's color palette if we tried. Seriously, the warm tones and the soft colors in the piece are both relaxing and invigorating.
Price: $9,135
Dealer: Kathleen Taylor

4) Box with Lid Covered in Cobra by Karl Springer
When mixing similar colors in a color palette in the same room, it's always best to shake things up a bit with cool patterns and crazy textures. Who better for the task than Karl Springer, a master of exotic textures and finishes.
Price: contact dealer
Dealer: Lobel Modern
Swank Lighting's new listings on 1stdibs:

 
Monumental Lamp from The Marbro Company in Jade Green
At its heyday, The Marbro Lamp Company sold a selection of lamps with glass hand blown in Sweden. There are not many available fifty years later, especially one in such perfect condition. This lamp is so large and sculptural, it stands well on its own - a pair would be superfluous. The color is deep and rich and so elegant.
Price: $3,750

Vintage Green Stacked Murano Lamps by Barovier & Toso
Vibrant Green stacked ball vintage Murano lamps with controlled bubbles, loaded with Gold dust. The glass is heavily ribbed and just exquisite! We show these mounted on Gold leafed solid wood bases, with satin brushed solid brass hardware to compliment.
Price: $5,550

 
Pair of Stiffel Ostrich Egg Lamps from the 1950's
United States
1950's
Rare and beautiful mid century lamps with Ceramic Ostrich Eggs complemented by brass and pewter colored accents. These are in such perfect condition, they show like brand new! Stiffel label on socket.
Price: $3,250

Vintage Murano Three Tiered Lamps White and Clear
Italy
1960's
Very stlish Murano lamps from the late 1960s in a rarely seen Three Tiered style. We've paired the white glass with nickel plated hardware for a sleek look and show them mounted on thick Lucite discs.
Price: $3,900

Don't forget to check out the rest of this week's listings from 1stdibs, where you can find more fabulous, one-of-a-kind, show-stopping pieces, as well as a number of other great items! Also: please visit our revamped Facebook page for more information about us and follow us on twitter (@swanklighting) to always be up-to-date on Swank Lighting happenings.

This Week's Top 5 Favorite 1stdibs Items: Monopoly-Themed!

Did you know that the game of Monopoly has been around for 75 years? We were pretty shocked too when we saw the article in CNN earlier this month. So when we opened up this week's offerings from the newest items of 1stdibs, we were downright delighted to see several items that were reminiscent of playing pieces from Monopoly---only life-sized! Bring a little Monopoly money magic to your home's decor! Who knows, you might just pass go and collect $200!

 

1) Anniversary Tin Top Hat
We thought we'd start with the top hat, since that actually is one of the playing pieces from the original game. Subtle and classy, those who choose the top hat as their piece are sophisticated, and so will your room be!
Price: $1,800
Dealer: American Primitive Gallery 

2) Wilbur in Bronze
Before you dismiss the pig as merely a farm animal motif, consider how important fiscally the pig image is: we do often keep our change in piggy banks, don't we? Perfect item for a monopoly-themed room.
Price: contact dealer
Dealer: Coup d'Etat

3) Robert "King" Moody's (1929 -2001) Ronald McDonald Clown Shoes
Imagining these bronze might help you consider them for our Monopoly-themed room, but let's face it, you'll need some big walking shoes to keep making rounds around that board!
Price: $1,450
Dealer: 20th Century Canada

4) Vintage Articulated Figure with Red Shoes
Though no figures were used as game pieces in the game, we loved this guy so much we had to showcase him. And he's already got red shoes!
Price: $900
Dealer: Urban Country

4) Large 1977 Cobra Lamp by Chervet
What better motifs for those snakes on Wall Street than an actual snake! Okay, so they aren't all snakes on Wall Street, but this is also a lamp so we totally had to include it.
Price: $4,590
Dealer: Paris


Swank Lighting's new listings on 1stdibs

Vintage Duplex Coral Table Lamp
This lamp is made of real coral imported from Egypt in the 1970s. The two finger coral clusters are mounted vertically and sit on a Lucite square.
Price: $1,750

Vintage Italian Eglomise Lamps of Lavender Plum with Gold
These lamps were commissioned by the daughter of a Texas Oil family. A lovely lavender plum with gold iridescence coats the interior of the glass. The effect is absolutely fabulous - so much more than pictures can capture.
Price: $3,000

Vintage Dimpled Murano Lamps in Lavender Plum
Extremely rare long necked Murano lamps in a deep Lavender Plum, almost a Concord Grape. It's the pinched bottom dimples that makes these lamps so special - there just aren't that many of this style left.
Price: $3,400

Spotted Chartreuse Vintage Glass Lamps
Lemon lime bowling pins with a circular quilted pattern, certain to brighten the room. We show these on a diamond cut square lucite base and use satin brushed solid brass hardware.
Price: $1,800

Don't forget to check out the rest of this week's listings from 1stdibs, where you can find more fabulous, one-of-a-kind, show-stopping pieces, as well as a number of other great items! Also: please visit our revamped Facebook page for more information about us and follow us on twitter (@swanklighting) to always be up-to-date on Swank Lighting happenings.

This Week's Top 5 Favorite 1stdibs Items: Off the Wall and in Poor Taste!

We came across so many off-the-wall, colorful (and no we don't mean hue) and almost-in-poor-taste items in this week's 1stdibs' newest listings we simply had to make a post around it. While we certainly speak a lot about style and tastes here on the Swank Lighting blog, let's not forget that a good sense of humor is as an integral part of a well-designed room as a fabulous pair of Swank Lighting lamps.

1) Cut Velvet Floor Spread
What is this, Graceland? While we're not terribly offended by the aesthetics of this Velvet Floor cover, it's...velvet! Too funny.
Price: $4,200
Dealer: Sarajo

2) Devil Weathervane
Some cultures believe you should never allow any photos of the devil in your home, lest he considers it an invitation to come on in and wreak havoc. Of course, you could always just use this weather vane for its intended purpose and not have any devil motifs inside the home at all.
Price: $4,800
Dealer: Just Folk

3) Giant "Nose" Light
Almost considered leaving this description blank because we honestly don't know what to do or say about it. Yikes! And awesome! All at the same time.
Price: $1,600
Dealer: Dolce

4) Icarus
Well then. This lovely abstracted painting of the mythological figure Icarus features a very prominent...um...part of Icarus that is certainly a central focal point to the piece.
Price: $11,500
Dealer: Vincent Mulford

5) Antique Papier Mache Reclining Pug Dog
Our last choice for this post was between this dog sculpture and a coffee table with a fish base. Though the fish base table was obviously off the wall, there's just something about this puppy's eyes that are cracking us up.
Price: $625
Dealer: Blithewood Home
Swank Lighting's new listings on 1stdibs

T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings Magazine Table
Iconic magazine table designed by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings for Widdicomb, 1950s. This is in excellent condition in a wonderful Chestnut color. This piece only needs magazines to make it perfect - oh, and perhaps a dust rag.
Price $850

Harvey Probber Dining Chairs
Set of 6 dining chairs by Harvey Probber with caned backs and original multi-striped fabric. These chairs are very solid and tight. They are also extremely cool! They are in excellent original condition, with no breaks to the caning.
Price $1,600

Vintage Dunbar Coffee Table
This classic Dunbar coffee table is an extremely substantial piece. The table top is divided into three distinct wedges with beautiful grain; the lower triangular shelf provides extra storage. Dunbar brass tag, as shown, is on the top's underside.
Price $650

Deep Lavender Opaline Vintage Murano Lamps by Seguso
Perfect for bedside or vanity, these vintage Seguso opaline Murano lamps are quite glamorous. The glass is a rich, very deep lavender heavily accented with opaline which give them a magical quality that cannot be duplicated.
Price $3,200

Vintage Murano Lamps in Cotton Candy Pink with Silver Inclusion
Translucent Cotton Candy Pink Murano lamps with controlled bubbles and Silver inclusion. Although these lamps are quite tall, they do not overwhelm because of the transparency of the glass. They are simply beautiful, and have a wonderful shimmering elegance to them.
Price $4,200

Don't forget to check out the rest of this week's listings from 1stdibs, where you can find more fabulous, one-of-a-kind, show-stopping pieces, as well as a number of other great items! Also: please visit our revamped Facebook page for more information about us and follow us on twitter (@swanklighting) to always be up-to-date on Swank Lighting happenings.