Infuse Old World Charm Into Your Home With American Made Tin Lamps

Cathy Zimmer

Hand Punched Authentic Tin LightingInterior designers have long been infatuated with the comforting power of farm inspired decor pieces. In particular, there has been a fascination with tin made American lamps. They act as stand-alone art pieces that harken back to the simpler lifestyles they were originally crafted in while wonderfully accentuating the rustic mystique of all the other antique accents in the room. American made tin lamps were created to bring warmth, both emotional and physical, into humble colonial hearths and they continue to bestow those same warm sentiments into our homes today. Learn why these frontier inspired lamps are the perfect solution for anyone who wants to add a little charm to their home.

The Beauty of Tin Lamps Have Amazed Americans for Centuries

The defining feature of an American tin lamp is a hole riddled shade obscuring the direct light from a candle,which is now a bulb. The shade served dual purposes; it protected the candle’s flame from being blown out by drafts and it diffused the light to create a soothing environment. Early crafters quickly found that a simple piece of tin effectively protected the burning wick, but it blocked too much light. So, someone had the ingenious idea of poking a few holes in the lamp shade to let some of the brightness out and instantly a revolution in home decor ensued. The light shining through the shade’s holes was mesmerizing, especially on a dark winter night.

American craftspeople embraced this new art form and began designing intricate patterns derived from their bucolic settings and the heavens. Hundreds of years later, these lamps are still adorning American mantles, bringing amazement and coziness to homes.

Tin Lamps Bathe Your Room With Invitingly Warm Light

These American made lamps are fabulous rustic decor pieces by themselves, but their intrinsic function lends charm to everything in the room. Unlike color-draining modern fluorescent or LED lights, the candle flames, or candelabra base bulbs, emit a warm light that envelops the whole room. Combined with the enchanting puncture holes of the shade, the pleasant radiance created by tin lamps will make any room instantly feel homier.

American Artisans Still Use Traditional Design and Manufacturing Techniques

Originally, tin lamps were made out of old cans, stove pipes and anything else industrious American colonials could get their hands on. Artisans and regular settlers just trying to pass time in the long winters, would bend and beat these recycled metals into a conical shape and use carpentry nails to puncture the holes needed for their designs. Modern lamp crafters may use slightly more sophisticated tools and refined raw sources, but their process is not much different and pays homage to the early frontier settlers.

The Colonial tin accent lamp in our online shop is a classic example of the modern embodiment of this historical ornamentation. It is skillfully made by American artisans and the shade is adorned with a vintage willow puncture whole design. Bring rustic charm into your house by today with this treasured country lamp.