Staples' inexpensive version of a classic lamp.   (Photo: Peter Berson)

Pharmacy-style lamps are a lighting perennial, and they look just as good on a Louis XIV desk as they do on a spare Saarinen tabletop. Like other classic pieces whose designs have entered the public domain and become knockoff fodder, they’re available at a wide range of prices. But you’ll be hard-pressed to find one as cheap and sturdy as this brass model from—of all places—Staples. (You can’t miss it: It stands out from the other Staples lighting options like a Times Square billboard.) As well-made and functional as similar lamps available at Restoration Hardware for $129 and Crate & Barrel for $99.95, it won’t lighten your wallet nearly as much: It’s just $19.99.

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