Everyone's Obsessed With Caprani Lamps - Here's Where to Get One

May 27, 2021 by Bed Threads

Behold, the original Caprani lamp: a mid-century modern design from the early 1970s by Danish manufacturer Mads Caprani AS. Picture a linen shade folded into accordion pleats, elegant bentwood stand and a cast iron crescent-shaped base stamped with the Caprani makers mark. Perfekt. (That's Danish for "perfect".)

This vintage lamp has been making the rounds on mood boards for a little while now (with no signs of slowing down) and inspiring a renaissance of pleated light shades. So, whether you're after an original Caprani light or something that simply alludes to the design, here are three approaches that could help you with your search.

Where to Buy Caprani Lamps

1. Feeling lucky?

If you're after the real deal, go ahead and set alerts for all of the usual places people unknowingly offload vintage treasures (eBay, Etsy, Gumtree, Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace) and be prepared to make an offer immediately if something pops up. The floor lamps can go for up to $3,500 AUD these days.

You can also scour your extended family tree for older relatives who might have bought one back in the day – perhaps they're willing to part with theirs for a fair price.

If you're feeling extremely, inconceivably lucky, start visiting your local second hand furniture stores on a regular basis. You never know.

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2. The real deal

Increase your odds of coming across an original Caprani lamp at just the right moment by following some relevant vintage sellers on social media. We love Home Union, Good Space, Old Gold trading Co. and Curated Spaces, but there are plenty out there.

But be careful to do some research first to make sure you're looking at authentic and authenticated antiques. You can also keep an eye on premium online marketplaces like 1stdibs and The RealReal.

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3. Get there quicker

If you haven't got the time or cash to spend sourcing an original Caprani but you do want something similar and fast, the best place to look is Etsy. You can simply replace the shades on a lamp you already own, whether it's a floor or table lamp, or you could hunt for a unique lamp stand to more closely create your own homage (you might need to phone a friend with experience in this area to ensure the shade will attach to the stand properly and the old wiring won't cause any electrical issues). Look for well-constructed replicas made with quality materials.