Early 20th Century Ochre Tole Painted Urn Lamp

An early twentieth century tole urn of good scale, the ochre painted body with black Classical trophy decoration, raised upon a square plinth. Wired as a table lamp.

Dimensions exclude modern bulb fitting.

Wired to UK Standards. This lamp can be rewired to all international specifications.

Shades available to purchase separately.

Toleware derives from the French term tôle peinte, meaning “painted sheet metal.” It describes painted metal objects, typically produced from thin tinplate or steel, and finished with decorative paint layers. In the European decorative arts, toleware developed as a practical and ornamental medium, allowing metal surfaces to be protected from rust through layers of colour or lacquer. This technique also provided a way to replicate the texture and feel of East Asian lacquered wares.

In this particular example of antique lighting, the surface decoration incorporates classical trophy motifs such as arms, garlands, and symbolic objects. The black painted lion head handles on the sides reference neoclassical design. The shape of this antique lamp draws on vessels from Greco-Roman antiquity, widely employed in European and American decorative arts and metalwork during the revival of  Classicism. By the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, toleware was produced in a variety of forms, combining practicality with decorative function.

The urn is painted in a rich ochre ground. Valued for its durability, non-toxicity, and vibrancy, ochre was a popular colour choice in late 19th and early 20th century decorative objects and interior schemes.