Lava Lamps – Psychedelic Elegance in Lighting

The Sixties and Early Seventies saw many innovations in the art and culture as a result of the rise of Flower Power and other forms of teen rebellion. These innovations extended to the lighting industry with the development of the lava lamp. Although many individuals believe these lamps to be passé in this new millennium, you still see lava lamps for sale online, which goes to show that psychedelia never goes out of style.

History of Lava Lamps

The lava lamp was invented in 1960 by Briton Edward Craven-Walker. After receiving the patent for this decorative novelty device in 1968, the inventor and his Crestworth Company began production of the lamp, which was then named the “Astro Lamp“. It became known as the lava lamp when entrepreneur Adoph Wertheimer and his business partner William M. Rubinstein bought the rights to manufacture and sell the lamp as the “Lava Lite” through their Lava Manufacturing Company. Although the manufacturing rights passed through several hands, the lava lamp proved to be a hit among consumers. Lava lamps for sale practically flew off the shelves of lighting stores during the late Sixties and early Seventies. At present, the rights to the production of lava lamps have been passed on to the Mathmos Company, which continues to manufacture the lamp using the original formula at Craven-Walker’s factory in Poole, Dorset.

Lava Lamps – Features That Stands Out

What makes lava lamps popular during these present times is its unique design. The lamp is a tall glass column filled with water and other additives, wherein you have colored wax blobs rising and falling as a result of changes in density due to the heat being produced by a light bulb at the bottom of the glass vessel. The resemblance of the wax blobs to pahoehoe lava gave the lamp its distinctive name.

The lava lamp produces a distinctive glow that no other lighting fixture can duplicate. Regardless of the color of the wax, the lamp has a soft, mellow light that makes the wax glow with a gorgeous luminescence. All these features and more make lava lamps fantastic additions to modern homes with minimalist motifs and décor.

Lava Lamps For Sale

If you are in the market for a lava lamp, you are sure to find a wider selection on the Internet rather than in your local lamp stores. It is a lamentable fact that most regional lighting shops consider lava lamps passé and will not carry them in their display shelves. While there are many companies that manufacture this lighting fixture – and its close cousin, the glitter lamp – you might want to consider purchasing the genuine article from the Mathmos Company. Mathmos has several exclusive online distributors which you could find with a simple search on Google or Yahoo. Another popular manufacturer of lava lamps is Lava World International. Lava World is one of the leaders in the lighting industry, noted for their lava lamps and glitter lamps. Perhaps they are most noted for their Lava Grande lamp, which is considered the largest lava/glitter lamp in the world today.

Find out more about Lava lamps for sale today!