| Back in the days of the 1800s people would play piano | | | | models of piano lamps is that they are all hooded to |
| by the light of a candle. It was not only dangerous but | | | | reduce the direct glare into the eyes of the player |
| made it very hard to read the music and to see the | | | | while lighting the keys of the piano. Many players |
| keys. Another issue the player had to deal with was | | | | purchase a piano lamp to further display their piano as |
| the glare that came from the glowing candle, reducing | | | | a showcase of their house. They can be beautiful as |
| their sight of the music and potentially causing a | | | | well as being very functional. |
| headache. An inventor looked at this issue and placed | | | | Piano lamps come in many different styles and are |
| a cover on the back of a candle that reduced the | | | | made of many different materials. Brass and chrome |
| glare and focused the light from the candle onto the | | | | are the most popular materials used to make a piano |
| piano keys and the sheet music in front of the player. | | | | lamp but many enameled surfaces are used in the |
| The Piano Lamp was born. | | | | manufacturing process to allow for more affordability |
| When electricity and the light bulb came along it was | | | | and style. |
| not long afterward that the same issue with an electric | | | | The shelf style (sits on top of the piano) piano lamp is |
| light bulb arose. The light bulb was safer than the | | | | usually height adjustable, and many feature a weighted |
| candle, to be sure, but the glare in the eyes of the | | | | base to allow for increased stability. Many times the |
| piano player was rough on the eyes. The cover as | | | | base is made of a high quality material such as marble, |
| placed on the front of the light bulb to reduce the glare | | | | to add beauty to the lamp as well as a great weight |
| and the piano lamp light fixture was a staple for | | | | which serves the function. A very practical feature of |
| anyone serious about playing a piano. | | | | a piano lamp is a counter-weighted arm, which most |
| There have been some ultra-fancy piano lamps that | | | | piano lamps have, preventing the lamp from getting top |
| are called candelabras. These are multi-light | | | | heavy regardless of its positional setting. |
| arrangements that typically sit on top of grand pianos. | | | | Piano lamps are manufactured to be either plug-in or |
| They are very formal and a little bit on the expensive | | | | battery-powered. Several companies also |
| side, costing $200 to $1,000 dollars depending upon the | | | | manufacture piano lamps that clip-on directly to the |
| style you are interested in purchasing. The candelabra | | | | sheet music. An electric piano lamp is normally |
| is attractive, as most piano lamps are, but the primary | | | | designed for either one or two light bulbs of 40-watts |
| function of the lamp is still to display light on sheet | | | | or less. |
| music and the piano keyboard. They are not limited to | | | | You can purchase these piano lamps at furnishing |
| use with grand pianos. Piano lamps fit well with | | | | stores, music stores or online. The price in US dollars |
| console, studio and upright pianos. | | | | of a piano lamp can range from as low as forty to as |
| While most piano lamps sit directly on top of the piano, | | | | high as hundreds of dollars. |
| several models are vertical lamps that raise from the | | | | From their very inception, piano lamps have replaced |
| floor. These models have advantages in that they can | | | | the need to use candles to provide light and add a nice |
| be arranged to display light from many angles at just | | | | mood to a piano recital or concert. Modern piano |
| about any height that the player wishes to have it be | | | | lamps are much safer and can be even more beautiful |
| displayed. The common theme among different | | | | than the nicest candelabras from times of old. |