Remodelista

Our top ten functional (and handsome) desk lamps:

THE NEW CLASSICS:

Below: Ballfinger table lamp from Germany; $790 at Nova68:

Below: Adjustable arc 109 lamp from Brooklyn-based David Weeks Studio:

Below: Job table lamp from Germany in polished stainless steel with glass-rod-encased base; available for approximately $2,200 from Plug Lighting:

RETRO BEAUTIES

Below: The Bestlite Lamp Series was designed by Robert Dudley Best in 1930; it's a certified design classic and is exhibited at the Design Museum in London. At Unica Home for $479:

Below: Designed by Jean-Louis Domecq in the fifties, the newly reissued, French-made Jielde Signal Desk Lamp is available in brown, yellow, pink, olive green, blue, orange, brushed chrome, and chrome plated; Lightology has the Jielde Lamp in a variety of colors from $440 and up (depending on color). The Turquouise Blue Lamp is available at Conran USA for $450; a Brilliant Red version is available from Horne.

Below: Restoration Hardware's Signal Lamp knockoffs - the Atelier Task Lamps - run from $229 to $269, depending on size and finish.

Finally, Pottery Barn Teen offers an "interpretation" of the Signal Lamp  called Hi-Light Task Lamp for $79 in ten cheery colors:

Below: Original BTC's Hector Table Lamp, designed by Peter Bowles, has a bone china shade and a ceramic base with a cotton-braided flex; available at Conran USA for $195:

Below: The Anglepoise Desk Lamp is an icon of modern design. A broad range of styles and colors are available at Holloways of Ludlow; prices range from $120 for a TYPE 75 Anglepoise Desk Lamp to models over $1400. And, yes, they do ship to the US. A Stainless TYPE 3 Anglepoise Lamp is available at Conran USA for $600:

THE ECONOMY STALWARTS

Below: Antifoni Work Lamp; $24.99 at Ikea:

Below: The Luxo original L-1 architect's lamp, designed in 1937 by Jac Jacobsen. Available in chrome, black, white, or gray; $179 at YLighting:

Below: Artimede Tolomeo Micro Lamp in silver, white, or black . Find it at YLighting for $225:

Our fortunate UK readers can avail themselves of the following three great options. Below left: Bubble table lamp from Heal's of white glass and chrome; £25. Below middle: Habitat's Bobby desk lamp; £25. Below right: Atlantis stainless steel desk lamp; £74.50 at Graham & Green: