Many of us see how we light our homes as a matter of practical necessity. When you consider the varied potential for extravagant expense in the home, the humble lamp is not the first thing that springs to mind. However, for those with the means and exclusive inclination, spending thousands, even millions, on a unique piece of designer lighting is more than worth the opulent outlay.
Take a look below and be enlightened at twelve of the world’s most ludicrously luxurious lamps.
12. Baccarat Solstice Comete Chandelier – $170,000
Image: NY Daily News
Seven feet tall and five feet wide, the Solstice Comete lives up to its name – by making a huge impact. Featuring over 1,800 pieces of hand-crafted crystal, it’s the most expensive chandelier created by French designers Baccarat.
11. Talavera Ceramic Ceiling Lamp – £212,500
Image: 1stdibs.com (via Palissandre Antiques)
A stunning example of the delicate artistry involved in ceramics, this colorful 18th century ceiling lamp hails from central Spain. The design focuses on natural motifs, with floral patterning and the plant-like candle holders – a truly special and atmospheric antique, to be treasured.
10. Sabino Art Deco Wall Sconces – $350,000
Image: 1stdibs.com (via Newel LLC)
Artist Marius-Ernest Sabino won the Legion d’Honneur for his contribution to French art. You can see why – this elegant pair of flared wall sconces demonstrate the vibrancy and detail that was so admired in his work and made the art deco movement so influential throughout the 1930s.
9. 18th Century Inspired Giltwood Torchères – $400,000
Images: 1stdibs.com (via Adrian Alan)
Crafted as facsimiles of torchères commisioned by Louis XV in 1770 for a masked ball, these bespoke replicas, made from the finest carved giltwood and bronze, stand at over ten feet tall and date from the late 19th century. Costing in excess of $400,000, they are quite the conversation starter.
8. Tiffany Trumpet Creeper Table Lamp – $400,000 – $600,000
Image: Bonhams New York
Thought to have been fashioned around 1910, this understated yet colourful table lamp recently went to auction. Bound with bronze and built with Tiffany’s patented Favrile glass, it’s an expensive but spellbinding centrepiece.
7. Genoese Crystal Chandeliers – $677,203
Image: architecturaldigest.com
A touch of 18th century Genoese glamour caught the eye of one particularly keen collector in 2010. A pair of gilt-metal and rock crystal chandeliers sold for a staggering $677,203 at a Sotherby’s auction in Paris – over twice the valuation.
6. Daum Crystal Chandelier – $680,000
Image: houzz.com
This utterly unique modernist chandelier is of French design and the ultimate statement piece – a fascinating and delicate interlocking collection of 448 Daum crystal roses, each beautifully crafted to inspire and illuminate.
5. Classical French 48 Candle Chandelier – $740,000
Image: 1stdibs.com (via Adrian Alan)
Inspired by the monumental chandeliers of Versailles and Louis XV, this incredible 48 candle illumination spectacularly evokes that era of royal excess, weighing in at over 275kg of expertly cut glass and gilt bronze.
4. Salviati Chandelier – $1,000,000
Image: 1stdibs.com (via Cain Modern)
A delightfully gothic yet elegant creation of the Italian designer Giulio Salviati, this crystal glass chandelier was crafted during the 19th century and is the only one of its kind ever made. As such, experts estimate that it could be worth over $1,000,000.
3. Tiffany Wisteria Lamp – $1,565,000
Image: Sotherby’s Auction House
Another iconic Tiffany piece, this remarkably beautiful creation captures the spectacular color and flow of a hanging wisteria. Auctioned by Sotherby’s in 2010, it sold for $1.5 million – well over the estimate of $600,000.
2. Kuwaiti Mall Chandelier – $1.8 million
Image: Jezebel.com (via shuttershock)
The most expensive chandelier in the Middle East, it once shone down its magnificence upon the monumental 360 Mall in Kuwait. However, this dramatically decadent feature was accidentally and irrecoverably destroyed when a disgruntled teenager threw their shoe at it, causing it to plummet to the floor.
1. Pink Lotus Tiffany Lamp – $2.8 million
Image: greatestcollectibles.com
Tiffany Lamps are intricately designed, skillfully made, and extremely rare. Sold at Christie’s in New York on December 12,1997, Pink Lotus is made from 2,000 hand-crafted glass pieces, perfectly assembled to create a stunning piece that is not just a source of light but a true work of art.
Featured photo credit: Ideas by ‘Krassy Can Do It’ via flickr via flickr.com
