Lamps by Decade | 1950’s

Elegant is certainly the adjective to describe the lamps of the 1950’s. It was of course an era of well-designed functional products that will forever remain timeless.

Not forgetting my furniture by decade series, I thought it would be nice to also visit lamps by decade. To me, a room without good lighting always feels like it’s missing something. Not even mentioning the importance of directional and ambient light, good lamps strategically placed around the room are a decorative feature. Some of them are also a good investment and should stay with you for a lifetime. If (on the off chance) they don’t please you later, you could always sell them, at times for a profit.

Take a look at the five that I picked from this decade and tell me your preference, or are you like me and would say yes to all of them?

From clockwise from top left:

AJ Light by Arne Jacobsen 1957

This would have to be the most recognisable lamp on net at the moment. I have to say that there has been a little bit of over saturation, a little like those brilliant songs that get overkilled by radio stations. I do think that us bloggers (and Pinterest) are responsible for that. Having said that, I would do anything to own this incredible piece of design. The AJ shape was designed to echo the form of Jacobsen’s Egg and Swan Chairs. Interestingly, I always admired the cut out on the base and apparently it was designed to fit an ashtray.

PH5 Poul Henningsen 1958 

This was an expansion from Henningsen’s award winning PH lamp from the 1920’s. This iconic lamp was designed to hang low over a table. The light is defused through a sandblasted glass shield in the lower shade and the visible reflectors direct light both vertically and horizontally, it was also made to avoid glare.

Akari Floor Lamp (model 33s) by Isamu Noguchi 1951

Quite different from the other designs in the era, this lamp is a stunning mix of mid-century and Japanese design. The lantern is handcrafted by Gifu, Japan. The pole is made from bamboo with a cast iron base and the shade is handmade washi paper and bamboo ribbing.

Model No. F-1-W Floor Light by Gilbert A. Watrous 1951

This very beautiful floor lamp won the MoMA Good Design Award in the low cost lighting competition. Watrous said that he designed it for himself because he couldn’t find a well-designed modern lamp for his home. The long arm balances on a magnetized steel ball, perched on a trip base and can be rotated 360 degrees into any position.

Praying Mantis Floor Light J. Rispal 1950

It was the post wartime when many designers were experimenting with new materials. Named after the insect it resembled, the Praying Mantis Floor Light is certainly out there in terms of original design and with it’s sculpted shape, deserves to be in a prominent stand alone position so that its form doesn’t get lost.

Beautiful aren’t they?

Mel x