If you think they don't make lamps like they used to, then the lighting made by Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Company should appeal to you. Most of their lamps come from restored original cast iron molds that were used to create depression-era glass lamps. If you want something in another material, the company offers a classic Art Deco metal lamp as well. Known as the Graduate Lamp, this table lamp "is made just like the original"-so you know the quality is excellent.

Graduate Lamp. Manufactured by Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Company.

Art Deco Metal Table Lamp

The Graduate Lamp measures 16" high, with a 7" base and a 12" shade. This size makes it ideal as a task lamp, and its 100-watt maximum wattage will light up the entire real estate of your desk. Available in powder coated black, powder coated white, and steel, the Graduate Lamp "looks and works equally well on a vintage tank desk or in a more modern application."

Graduate Lamp's curved shade has the streamlined curves of Art Deco-era cars and trains. The decorative trio of rings that circle the top of the shade has the singular appeal of Saturn's rings. The column of the lamp tapers before reaching its base, creating a silhouette that puts me in mind of the famous columns of Frank Lloyd Wright's Johnson Wax Headquarters. All of the curves and lines of the Graduate Lamp, as well as its shiny metal surface, evoke the sensuality and elegance of the Art Deco era.

About the Manufacturer: Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Company was founded by Brian Faherty, who sought to offer quality lighting. Faherty believed that lighting was largely ignored in the design process and wanted "people to turn their attention to the jewelry of the process." After researching depression-era glass, Faherty discovered and restored original cast iron molds. Recently, Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Company expanded their product line beyond lighting; the collection now includes furniture and accessories. You can see their products in person at either coast: they have showrooms in Portland, OR and Tribeca, NY.