Best American-Made Lighting Manufacturers for Vintage and Historic Homes

By Joshua Scheide | January 9, 2026 | Updated July 1, 2026

Folks working on their historic homes never start out trying to cut corners.

They research. They care. They want to get it right. They often take the approach of stewardship.

And yet, lighting is where many of those projects miss the mark at the end of the project. At Old California, we've been asking one simple question since 1989: what does it take for a fixture to feel like it was always meant to be in a historic home, even if you installed it yesterday?

A fixture looks right online. The price feels reasonable. The install goes smoothly. Then a few years pass and the finish starts to fail, the proportions feel off, or the fixture just never quite settles into the house the way everything else has.

That's usually when one of our customers says, “I wish I'd known this earlier,” and we don't want you to say that.

Below is our list of American manufacturers that build period-appropriate lighting for historic homes. Not mass produced. Fixtures made from materials and methods that have proven, over decades, to belong in houses spanning the range of American home architecture styles.

We'll be upfront: we're included on this list. Old California is on a mission to keep American architectural history alive one home at a time. At the same time, we also know we're not a perfect fit for every project.

Original fixtures from historic homes didn't survive by accident.

They were made from durable materials by people who assumed the work would be lived with for decades, not replaced in a few seasons. Real brass, copper, and blown glass don't stay pristine. They change. That change is an asset, not a liability.

Craft Is a Skill, Not a Marketing Term

The trades that built these homes still exist, but only in pockets. American manufacturers who continue these methods carry knowledge that isn't written down. When fixtures are made domestically, customization isn't guesswork and problems are solved by people who have mastered their craft.

If you want a clearer breakdown of how American made fixtures differ from imported ones in real world performance, our article Comparing Light Fixtures for Your Vintage or Historic Home: American-Made vs. Made Overseas walks through those differences step by step.

Some well-known retailers offer a mix of domestic and overseas production. Others rely almost entirely on imports.

This list excludes brands whose fixtures are primarily sourced or warehoused rather than manufactured in the United States. That doesn't make them wrong. It just puts them in a different category.

The companies below meet a couple simple criteria: their fixtures are actually produced in the United States, and they're either creating reproductions of historic fixtures or authentically inspired original pieces (or both). Because they manufacture domestically, they all have at least some custom capabilities as well.

Here they are in alphabetical order:

Arroyo Craftsman Founded 1984 | Illinois

Predominantly Arts & Crafts and Craftsman style. Solid brass construction with mica and art glass. Interior and exterior fixtures.

Authentic Designs Founded 1966 | Vermont

A selection of historic styles as well as contemporary styles. Solid brass construction. Alabaster lighting.

Brass Light Gallery Founded 1974 | Wisconsin

A selection of historic styles as well as contemporary styles. Solid brass construction. Alabaster lighting.

Crenshaw Lighting Founded 1957 | Virginia

Predominantly custom lighting and historical restoration services. Colonial through contemporary period. Consumer collections available.

Custom Lighting Company Founded 2001 | California

Colonial and Victorian reproductions and original designs. Solid brass construction.

Hammerworks Founded 1979 | Massachusetts

Colonial reproduction lighting. Solid copper and brass. Hand-forming techniques. Interior and exterior.

King's Chandelier Company Founded 1935 | North Carolina

Reproduction crystal chandeliers and sconces. Colonial and Victorian styles.

Olde Brick Lighting Founded 2011| Pennsylvania

Flush and semi-flush ceiling lights, pendants, sconces and chandeliers in a variety of turn-of-the-century styles.

Old California Founded 1989 | California

Victorian through Mid-Century. Solid brass and/or wood construction with mica and art glass. Interior and exterior.

Revival Lighting Founded 1999 | Washington

Reproduction services. Late 1800s through 1920s focus with occasional Mid-Century pieces.

A few things are worth sorting out before you start calling around. Which architectural period are you matching? Are you looking for a catalog piece, restoration or purely custom work? What is your project timeline? And does it matter whether you can see it in person first, or are you comfortable choosing from photos and specs?

Your historic home has already proven it knows how to endure. It deserves lighting that feels like it's always been there, not something that will feel dated in a few years. These manufacturers build fixtures the same way your home was built the first time: to be lived with, not just looked at.

Keep Reading

• The Cost of Lighting Explained for Your Vintage or Historic Home
• Comparing Light Fixtures for Your Vintage or Historic Home: American-Made vs. Made Overseas
• The Vintage Homeowner's Guide to Using LED Bulbs to Light Your Home
• What Style Is My House?

See the full range of articles in our Learning Center.

About Old California

Your vintage home holds details that took real craftsmanship to get right the first time. Since 1989, Old California has matched that same standard, handcrafting solid brass lighting and hardware from our Southern California factory.

Our catalog spans the Gold Rush to the Space Race, so wherever your home falls in that range, explore our Shop by Historic Style section to find fixtures built for your home's architecture.