French Cast-Steel Street-Lamp Study Converted into a Floor Lamp, circa 1920 - 76¾"

This French floor lamp, dating from around 1920, was originally conceived as a study or model for a street lamp, which explains its architectural proportions and substantial construction. Made from very heavy cast steel, the shaft is richly modeled with fluting, faceted sections and foliate ornament, rising from an elaborate tripod base with scrolling forms and paw feet. The surface has developed a warm, uneven patina, with lighter rubbing across the raised details and darker tones settled into the recesses, giving the decoration greater depth. The lamp has been rewired, and the spherical white glass globe is a contemporary replacement.

Its origins as a street-lamp study give the piece an unusual sculptural quality, somewhere between lighting and architectural ornament. The very tall, slender silhouette is balanced by the weight and richness of the base, while the simple white globe keeps the overall effect light and graphic. It would work particularly well in a generous entrance hall, beside a sofa or reading chair, or in the corner of a sitting room, where it would add height, atmosphere and a strong architectural note.