Table Lamps, 1950s, Set of 2

About This Piece

Vintage Design

This pair of table lamps designed in the style of Louis Kalff and was produced in the Netherlands around 1950. The lamps feature a red and green lacquered iron base and movable shade as well as a chrome stem.

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Creator	Louis Kalff
Design Period	1950 to 1959
Production Period	1950 to 1959
Country of Manufacture	Austria
Identifying Marks	The style of the design is reminiscent of the designer and/or manufacturer
Style	Mid-Century
Detailed Condition	Very Good — This vintage item has no defects, but it may show slight traces of use.
	A professional electrician has rewired this piece to be in working order.
Restoration and Damage Details	Light wear consistent with age and use
Plug Type	European Plug (up to 250V)
Product Code	ZN-248167
Materials	Metal
Color	Orange
Width	30 cm 11.8 inch
Depth	40 cm 15.7 inch
Height	33 cm 13.0 inch
Weight Range	Standard — Between 40kg and 80kg
Duties Notice	Import duty is not included in the prices you see online. You may have to pay import duties upon receipt of your order.

Shipping & Delivery

Ships from	Austria
Duties Notice	Import duty is not included in the prices you see online. You may have to pay import duties upon receipt of your order.
Returns	Returns accepted within two days of delivery, except for Made-to-order items

Delivery Details

Delivery will be completed by a parcel service such as UPS, DHL, or FedEx.
You will receive a tracking number to monitor the status of your shipment.
Delivery will take place between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
A wooden crate may be used for intercontinental shipments for maximum protection.
Item will be left in its packaging after delivery.
A signature will be required upon delivery.

*Important Note

Please examine the packaging upon delivery. In the event that there are visible signs of damaged packaging, please indicate the problem on the Delivery Note, take pictures, and—if the item inside shows damages—contact us within 48 hours of delivery. A signed delivery receipt without notations regarding damaged packaging represents your acceptance of the completed order in perfect condition.

About the Creator

Louis Kalff

Dutch designer, art director, and architect Louis C. Kalff was born in Amsterdam in 1897. In 1916, he began architecture studies at the Technical University of Delft. As a student, he designed posters, banners, and costumes for school-related activities. In 1923, he interned for the architect D.F. Slothouwer. In December 1924, Kalff applied via letter to Anton Philips, president of Eindhoven-based light bulb and radio tube manufacturer Philips, asserting that the company’s advertising was not modern enough. On January 5, 1925, the 27-year-old Kalff joined Philips and was charged with the task of modernizing the company’s artistic and commercial advertising. In 1929, the Lighting Advisory Office (LIBU) was established under Kalff’s leadership to advise companies and architects in the field of lighting. In 1946, he was appointed Philips’ art director.

While at Philips, Kalff helped define the overall color, material, and form choices for a variety of projects. He also designed advertisements, branding, exhibitions, lighting, and various other products, including memorable pieces such as the curvy—as opposed to traditionally boxy—Chapel Radio (1931) and the Philips Philishave (1939); nicknamed “the cigar,” the latter was an electric shaver with a rotary system shaped like a Greek column with tapered sides. He also designed several architectural projects, including the Astronomical Observatory (1937, Eindhoven) and the spaceship-like Evoluon technology museum (1966, Eindhoven), which became a conference center in the 1990s. He also independently designed posters, book covers, as well as private homes and commercial buildings.

In 1958, Kalff initiated the Philips Pavilion at the Brussels World’s Fair. To demonstrate the company’s cutting-edge technology, he conceived a multimedia exhibition that featured an electronic poem (Le Poème Électronique) by Swiss architect Le Corbusier and music by French-American composer Edgard Varèse accompanied by a range of video and audio effects. Kalff retired in 1960, but remained active as a consultant and architect for Philips. He also lectured and, in 1941, wrote the book, Artificial Light and Architecture.

Kalff passed away in Waalre in 1976. In 2011, the Louis Kalff Instituut opened in the Regional Historical Center Eindhoven. It’s devoted to preserving and digitizing the archives of nationally important industrial designers for educational purposes.