Decorating
5 Must-Know Lights That Deserve Their Place in the Spotlight
Light up your home and your life with these brilliant designer classics that have stood the test of time
There is an ever-growing collection of objects that will always be sought after, thanks to their original and innovative designs that beautifully blend form and function. Part of that collection is a selection of lighting that, although originating in the early to mid-20th century – which is considered to be one of the most inventive periods of design –has been in continuous demand ever since. These five must-know lights will forever shine on.
Henningsen designed the first PH table lamp in 1925 (it taking its name from his initials) and won first prize for modern lighting at the International Fair for Decorative Arts in Paris that same year. Louis Poulsen & Co put the lamp into production the following year, and over the next three decades Henningsen created variations of the design to suit a range of spaces and functions.
Henningsen designed the most popular PH 5 Lamp (in the first image) in 1958 and the PH 4/3 Lamp (seen here) in 1966. Each takes its name from the diameter of the top shade, which is 50 centimetres and 40 centimetres respectively; i.e. 5dm or 4dm. The design is based on scientific analysis and is composed of three concentric tiers of reflective painted metal bands and varying size shades, which evenly distribute light and reduce glare. It is intended to be hung low above tables, which is the way the Danish hang their pendants.
2. PH Artichoke
Designer: Poul Henningsen
Producer: Louis Poulsen
Country: Denmark
Year: 1958
Using similar principles of design, Henningsen created the PH Artichoke pendant in 1958 for the Langelinie Pavilion restaurant in Copenhagen. In English, the light is named for the edible plant; in Danish it is named for the pine cone (PH Kogle) due to its conical and articulated shape.
Designer: Poul Henningsen
Producer: Louis Poulsen
Country: Denmark
Year: 1958
Using similar principles of design, Henningsen created the PH Artichoke pendant in 1958 for the Langelinie Pavilion restaurant in Copenhagen. In English, the light is named for the edible plant; in Danish it is named for the pine cone (PH Kogle) due to its conical and articulated shape.
The PH Artichoke is made of 72 copper ‘leaves’ attached to a structure of 12 circular rows. Each row has six leaves that are staggered between the leaves above and below to completely cover the light source in the centre of the lamp. Like the PH lamp it is designed to be 100 per cent glare-free and it diffuses light with a unique pattern, as can be seen in the reflection on the table pictured here.
Perfect ways to illuminate a dining room
Perfect ways to illuminate a dining room
3. Arco Lamp
Designer: Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Producer: FLOS
Country: Italy
Year: 1962
Achille Castiglioni (1918-2002), like Henningsen, trained as an architect and after World War II worked with his brothers Pier and Luigi. Achille and Pier worked closely together in the 1950s and ’60s, collaborating on the design of numerous objects; and the two brothers proved to be particularly successful with lighting. They explored new possibilities of form and function to create aesthetically pleasing and practical objects.
Designer: Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Producer: FLOS
Country: Italy
Year: 1962
Achille Castiglioni (1918-2002), like Henningsen, trained as an architect and after World War II worked with his brothers Pier and Luigi. Achille and Pier worked closely together in the 1950s and ’60s, collaborating on the design of numerous objects; and the two brothers proved to be particularly successful with lighting. They explored new possibilities of form and function to create aesthetically pleasing and practical objects.
The elegantly arching Arco Lamp is said to have been inspired by a street light due the fact that its sweeping neck transforms a floor lamp into an overhead light that eliminates the need for wiring. The chunk of Carrara marble at its base is both decorative and stabilising and balances its form. For practical reasons, the hole in the base allows the lamp to be carried with a broom handle.
4. Anglepoise
Designer: George Carwardine
Producer: Anglepoise
Country: England
Year: 1931-33
Automotive engineer George Carwardine designed the now-famous Anglepoise lamp when he worked as a design consultant for Herbert Terry and Sons Ltd. He specialised in vehicle suspension systems and developed a mechanism that could be applied to other fields of design. Using a theoretical concept for balancing weights using springs, cranks and levers, he designed the articulated lamp and applied for its patent in 1932. Terry’s produced the original lamp while Cawardine continued to refine the design for a domestic market.
Designer: George Carwardine
Producer: Anglepoise
Country: England
Year: 1931-33
Automotive engineer George Carwardine designed the now-famous Anglepoise lamp when he worked as a design consultant for Herbert Terry and Sons Ltd. He specialised in vehicle suspension systems and developed a mechanism that could be applied to other fields of design. Using a theoretical concept for balancing weights using springs, cranks and levers, he designed the articulated lamp and applied for its patent in 1932. Terry’s produced the original lamp while Cawardine continued to refine the design for a domestic market.
The Anglepoise is designed so the joints and spring tension allow it to be moved into a wide range of positions that will be maintained without being clamped. It was a revolutionary design which, primarily manufactured for the home, proved to be extremely popular and functional.
During World War II, the Terry Spring Company switched to military production to help the war effort and produced Anglepoise lamps for bombers. History has it that when a crashed bomber was salvaged from Loch Ness in Scotland in 1986, the lamp still worked after more than four decades submerged in water. Today, the lamp stays true to Cawardine’s design while incorporating modern features, such as energy-saving bulbs.
During World War II, the Terry Spring Company switched to military production to help the war effort and produced Anglepoise lamps for bombers. History has it that when a crashed bomber was salvaged from Loch Ness in Scotland in 1986, the lamp still worked after more than four decades submerged in water. Today, the lamp stays true to Cawardine’s design while incorporating modern features, such as energy-saving bulbs.
In 2005, the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre approached Anglepoise to produce a giant version for the desk in Dahl’s writing hut. The lamp generated so much interest it was put into volume production and now graces living spaces around the room, seemingly perfect for Dahl’s book The BFG (The Big Friendly Giant).
Is your home ready for a BFG?
Is your home ready for a BFG?
5. 2097 Chandelier
Designer: Gino Sarfatti
Producer: FLOS
Country: Italy
Year: 1958
The year 1958 proved to be a great one for lighting design. A third iconic light produced that year is the 2097 Chandelier by Gino Sarfatti. The self-taught and prolific designer developed nearly 700 floor lamps, chandeliers, spotlights and other light fittings between the mid-1930s and early 1970s, experimenting endlessly. He believed form should be determined by function, and that designer and manufacturer had a duty to exploit technological advances.
Designer: Gino Sarfatti
Producer: FLOS
Country: Italy
Year: 1958
The year 1958 proved to be a great one for lighting design. A third iconic light produced that year is the 2097 Chandelier by Gino Sarfatti. The self-taught and prolific designer developed nearly 700 floor lamps, chandeliers, spotlights and other light fittings between the mid-1930s and early 1970s, experimenting endlessly. He believed form should be determined by function, and that designer and manufacturer had a duty to exploit technological advances.
The 2097 is a mid-century reinterpretation of the classic chandelier and dubbed ‘fireworks’ because of its shape. Depending on size, it has 30 or 50 bulbs supported by chromium-plated horizontal arms, arranged around a steel tube. The spidery electrical wires gently curve from lamp to stem and contrast with the strong horizontal and vertical lines.
Shine with antique lighting
Shine with antique lighting
Where To Buy
These lights can be purchased new or secondhand, and the price will vary depending on whether they are genuine or a replica.
Secondhand or vintage
These lights can be purchased new or secondhand, and the price will vary depending on whether they are genuine or a replica.
Secondhand or vintage
- For a secondhand or vintage light, contact a furniture or lighting importer or vintage store. They may have one in stock or can source one for you. They should only be sourcing the genuine article produced by the licensed manufacturer and the price you pay will reflect this.
- Keep an eye on auction houses, auction websites, and secondhand furniture sellers. If the price tag is hefty, be sure you are buying the genuine article and not a replica.
New
A loophole in Australia’s Intellectual Property law means that it is the only western country in which designs that have fallen out of copyright, at least in Australia, can be legally manufactured without license. These are required to be labelled ‘replica’ and cost less than the genuine article. Replicas enable a greater number of people to access and enjoy good design (or the aesthetics of good design), however, copying designers and manufacturers’ work does diminish the capabilities and innovation of the design community as a whole.
TELL US
Do you have any designer lights in your home? Upload a picture to the Comments section or simply tell us what you love about them.
MORE
Browse a gallery of lighting products
- You can purchase brand-spanking new lights from licensed manufacturers and resellers.
- You can buy replicas from knock-off furniture and lighting sellers in Australia. Replicas are not made to the same design specifications as the original, and quality, construction, proportions, and materials – among other things – may differ.
A loophole in Australia’s Intellectual Property law means that it is the only western country in which designs that have fallen out of copyright, at least in Australia, can be legally manufactured without license. These are required to be labelled ‘replica’ and cost less than the genuine article. Replicas enable a greater number of people to access and enjoy good design (or the aesthetics of good design), however, copying designers and manufacturers’ work does diminish the capabilities and innovation of the design community as a whole.
TELL US
Do you have any designer lights in your home? Upload a picture to the Comments section or simply tell us what you love about them.
MORE
Browse a gallery of lighting products
Designer: Poul Henningsen
Producer: Louis Poulsen
Country: Denmark
Year: 1925-1966
Poul Henningsen (1894-1967) trained as an architect, but is renowned for making one of the great contributions to lighting design in the 20th century. Born and bred in Denmark, a country that experiences prolonged periods of darkness, he lived there at a time when residential houses switched from soft gas to hard electric lighting. The combination of these two elements inspired him to create better illumination for the domestic home.