Vintage 1968 Oscar Bruno Ltd MOD NATO Issue Table Lamp – Wooden Military Contrac

This is a lovely little find — a 1968 Oscar Bruno Ltd Ministry of Defence / NATO issue table lamp, with its original contract stamp still clearly visible to the wooden base. The mark reads “Contractor Oscar Bruno Limited, Jul 1968” with a N.A.T.O. stock number and a B.I. number, which gives it a very nice bit of military/social-history appeal.

Oscar Bruno Ltd appears to have supplied simple, functional domestic lighting to the Ministry of Defence. A documented Oscar Bruno Ltd lamp from 1972 is described as a London-made MOD/NATO issue table lamp, used in married quarters and messes, which fits beautifully with this example and its 1968 contract stamp.

Shown fully working but as with all electrical items requires PAT testing we do not guarantee electrical items

Vintage 1968 Oscar Bruno Ltd MOD NATO Issue Table Lamp – Wooden Military Contract Lamp with Shade

A wonderfully characterful vintage table lamp by Oscar Bruno Ltd, dating to July 1968, with its original Ministry of Defence / NATO-style contractor stamp still visible to the underside of the wooden base.

Simple, practical and quietly stylish, this lamp has all the appeal of mid-century British utility design. The rounded wooden base and slender column give it a clean, understated silhouette, while the white and black fitting detail adds a subtle retro note. It is topped with a pleated fabric shade with metallic trim, giving the whole piece a warm, domestic feel — the sort of lamp that would sit beautifully on a bedside table, desk, sideboard or reading corner.

The underside is particularly interesting, stamped:

Contractor: Oscar Bruno Limited

Jul 1968

N.A.T.O. stock number

B.I. number

41 cm tall

13 cm round base

A striking piece of simple mid century design!!

Oscar Bruno Ltd supplied lighting for official and Ministry of Defence use, with similar lamps known to have been issued for MOD accommodation, married quarters and mess rooms. This gives the piece a lovely layer of social history: not grand or showy, but a practical object from everyday military and institutional life in late 1960s Britain.

Condition is vintage and used, with age-related marks, scuffs and signs of handling to the wooden base, as shown. The underside also shows wear around the central hole and to the original rubber feet. These details are part of its honest history and do not detract from its decorative appeal. The shade has a pleasing period look, with some expected age-related wear.

A lovely piece for collectors of mid-century lighting, military domestic wares, MOD/NATO issue items, or anyone looking for an authentic vintage lamp with a story.

Safety note: As with all vintage lighting, this item should be checked by a qualified electrician before use unless already PAT tested / rewired. Sold as a decorative vintage electrical item.