Value of torchiere lamp down to fancy factor

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/02/2019 (2731 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dear Mike,

I am hoping you can provide me some information about this lamp. I think it is brass, but I am not sure what the other material on the base is.

The shaft of the lamp is ribbed and the glass globe is intact. The lamp was used all the time by my parents in the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s in their home and in later years was used in their cottage. It still works perfectly and has a very nice glow to it. It uses a large-based bulb that is a tri-light.

We are currently downsizing our home and our children have no interest in this lamp. We want to divest ourselves of it but are uncertain as to pricing on it. Certainly, it is much better quality than anything you buy today.

— Lyle K., Winnipeg

Dear Lyle,

You have a torchiere lamp. They were very common from the 1930s to the 1950s, as most older homes were not equipped with ceiling light fixtures. They are made from cast metal, usually brass, or they were chrome-plated. The pole part of the lamp was produced with designs ranging from very simple to very fancy, sometimes even with a clock. These were top-heavy and would easily fall over, and the shade would break. The majority of the lamp’s value is in the shade. The fancier the shade, the more valuable they are. You have a fairly plain torchiere. In working condition, it should sell for $90 to $120.

Mike Huen is an antique dealer and owner of Mike’s General Store. If you would like to have an item appraised, email your questions and include a photo to mike@mikesgeneralstore.com and put “Free Press” in the subject line, or write to Mike’s Appraisals, 52 St. Anne’s Rd., Winnipeg, MB, R2M 2Y3.