You may be able to find a local welder/artist to help out with making the base and you could get an inexpensive pendant from a place like CB2.

For $299, check out the Architect's Sectional floor lamp at Pottery Barn.
http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p10100/index.cfm?pkey=clgttafflr

Look on Craigslist and ebay. You may be able to find the same one under $300.00

BoConcept has a similar one for $259, smaller shade though.

http://www.boconcept.us/default.aspx?id=76315&ImageID=3959

CB2 has some really lamp designs, at very reasonable prices. (http://www.cb2.com/lighting/accessories/v) Several floor lamp styles all around $200, although none too similar to the one you want. But we just bought the Polk desk lamp, which is a very similar anglepoise style, a great deal for $60.

Hate to say it but IKEA has something similar with the Samtid light. A friend has it and it looks very post-college classy. Perhaps you could beef it up with a higher quality lamp shade from Restoration Hardware or something.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60061024

How about this one from adesso? More like $300, but you can probably find it for less by doing a little digging:

http://www.targetdecor.com/web/sitefiles/s_products.asp?sku=3523

forgot to say - the IKEA thing is 35 bucks.

http://www.targetdecor.com/web/sitefiles/product-3497/315622.html

I have the Adesso version linked above as a substitute for the mega expensive Mega which I love beyond words.
It's not as cool as the real thing, but I still really like it and the price was certainly right. The shade it comes with is boo, however. I'd like to replace mine with one that's shaped more like the tolomeo shade but I haven't been able to find one that's big enough. CB2 has a giant pendant lamp that I think would work but I haven't been able bring myself to fork out the $$ just to have the shade.

This is unrelated to the question, but what happened to the NY Open Thread? It seems like we haven't had one in weeks!

LIKE OTHER POSTER SAID!
CRAIGSLIST SHOULD TURN OUT SOMETHING!

seth, to tell you the honest truth there is no substitute. if you buy another similar lamp, it will be there saying, yes, you love the tolomeo but, you settled for me, every day it shares your home.
save the money and buy the real thing, then you can look at it in your home and be happy that you held out for a quality lamp.

Hey make it yourself!
http://readymademag.com/printarchive/index.pl?id=677
courtesy of the fantastic DIY mag Readymade!
They estimate $20

RE: the Architect's Sectional floor lamp at Pottery Barn. I purchased it last month and literally returned it the next day. The "joints" didn't pivot without falling apart. I recommend going to the store and try adjusting it before you buy (maybe I got a lemon model). If you will put the lamp in one position and leave it, then maybe this is the one for you. If you want an adjustable one, I'd look elsewhere.

I'm often of the "find a substitute" type, but in this instance, I really agree with patrik...especially if you'll be already spending $200. If you really love it and plan on keeping it, save and splurge on that--you'll love looking at it every day. My office has the tolomeo desk lamps, and if it were more cheaply made, I have a feeling it would look really really bad.

I've seen some similar-but-different lamps, but never with large shades.

Those lamps actually looked very good. Not the real thing, but not an imitation either. The mechanics are more or less the same, but the shade is more round and in black and chrome.

I see that in alibaba.com there is also an advertisement with a desk size (imitation, I guess) Tolomeo. Can't be imported of course... Alibaba.com is a nice place to search for items like 'table lamp' and see what China has on offer.

How about this one?

http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/furnitureandhomedecor/brandsforfurniture/adesso/PRD~196745/Adesso Architect Floor Lamp.jsp

$161.99

Looks very similar to the one above.

I went through the same exercise with the Tolomeo Mega and found nothing quite like it. If you've seen this lamp in person, you recognize the quality and aesthetic is not something you replicate.

I purchased direct and got it for about $50 less than any place else - little consolation but likely worth every penny.

http://www.artemidestore.com/?page=shop/flypage&pageTitle=Tolomeo_mega_floor&product_id=915

RE: Pottery Barn Architects Sectional lamp. I also had to send mine back and for the same reason. The hinges don't move and it has trouble supporting its own weight. A problem.

Honestly, my Ikea Samtid is one of the prettiest things I have ever seen and had (not to mention how cheap it is, compared with those fancy and pricey floor lamps), especially after I kind of dressed it up with an elegant wrapping paper, which I also purchased at Ikea.