Danish Blue PH5 Lamp by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen, 1958

About This Piece

Vintage Design

Early Poul Henningsen "PH-5" pendant in the original blue color. Good original condition. Poul Henningsen developed the PH 5 in 1958 in response to constant changes made to the shape and size of incandescent bulbs by bulb manufacturers, naming it after the size of the pendant’s main shade, which is 50 cm in diameter. When the lamp was introduced, he wrote, typically daringly, about how he had lost faith that the manufacturers of incandescent light bulbs would ever learn to consider common sense or have the consumer’s best interests at heart: “I have accepted fate, and with Louis Poulsen´s permission I have designed a PH fixture, which can be used with any kind of light source, Christmas lights and 100 W metal filament bulbs. Although a fluorescent tube would be too much to ask in the existing form!” Henningsen wanted to improve the colour reproduction characteristics of the light source in the PH 5. Small red and blue shades were therefore inserted to supplement the colour in the part of the spectrum where the eye is least sensitive – the red and blue areas – thereby subduing the light in the middle yellow-green region where the eye is most sensitive. At the time, no one knew that the PH 5 would become synonymous with the PH light, which remains 100% glare-free, irrespective of how the light is installed or which light source is used. The pendant is still in production today, but in an altered design. Rewired: The lamp has been rewired in accordance with the original design. All original parts inside the lamps. Wear consistent with age and use. Good condition with few signs of wear.

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* The cable of this item may be original and might need replacement, if not specified otherwise.

Creator	Poul Henningsen
Manufacturer	Louis Poulsen
Design Period	1950 to 1959
Year	1958
Production Period	1950 to 1959
Country of Manufacture	Denmark
Identifying Marks	This piece is attributed to the above-mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark
Style	Vintage, Scandinavian Modern
Detailed Condition	Good — This vintage item remains fully functional, but it shows sign of age through scuffs, dings, faded finishes, minimal upholstery defects, or visible repairs.
Product Code	WRF-1328520
Restoration and Damage Details	Rewired: The lamp has been rewired in accordance with the original design. All original parts inside the lamps. Wear consistent with age and use. Good condition with few signs of wear.
Materials	Aluminum
Color	Blue
Height	28 cm 28 cm
Diameter	50 cm
Weight Range	Standard — Between 40kg and 80kg

Shipping & Delivery

Ships from	Denmark
Returns	Returns accepted within fourteen days of delivery, except for Made-to-order items
Carbon Neutral	For every purchase made, Pamono offsets 100% of estimated carbon emissions from global shipping.

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

Poul Henningsen

Designer and architect Poul Henningsen was born in Copenhagen in 1894, the illegitimate son of satirical novelist Carl Ewald and feminist activist and writer Agnes Henningsen. He studied at the Frederiksberg Technical School from 1911 to 1914, and then at the Copenhagen Technical College until 1917. Early on in his career, he worked as both an architect and a journalist, but quickly became fascinated by lighting design, inspired by the then-new technology of the electric light bulb. He approached lighting from a scientific standpoint, investigating the impact that soft, diffused light had on one’s well being.

In 1925, Henningsen began what would become a lifelong collaboration with Copenhagen-based lighting company Louis Poulsen, for whom he produced over one hundred lamps, all belonging to the PH series, and all based on the idea of multiple shades and diffusors to provide warm, soft light. For a short time at the beginning of World War II, Henningsen was the head architect of the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen. However, he was forced to flee Denmark during the German occupation, and moved to Sweden.

Among his best known works are the 1958 PH Snowball, a pendant lamp with eight aluminum shades, and the 1957 PH Artichoke lamp, a pendant lamp with a bulb surrounded by scale-like reflectors—both iconic examples of Scandinavian modernist design. Henningsen's work can be found in major museum collections around the world, including MoMA, Vitra, and the V&A. He passed away in Denmark in 1967.

About the Maker

Louis Poulsen

Now recognized as one of the world’s foremost lighting manufacturers, Louis Poulsen began its long life in 1874, first as the Copenhagen Direct Wine Import Company, and then, starting in 1896, as an electrical components and tools supplier. In the 1910s, Louis Poulsen (1871-1934), nephew of the Copenhagen-based company’s original founder, took over and soon after became partners with entrepreneur and electricity enthusiast Sophus Kaastrup-Olsen (1884-1938). Together they reincorporated as Louis Poulsen & Co. In 1917, Kaastrup-Olsen acquired Poulsen's shares and became the company’s sole proprietor, just in time to benefit from the increasing demand for electrically powered fixtures that developed during and after World War I.

In 1924, Kaastrup-Olsen began collaborating with Danish architect Poul Henningsen (1894-1967) on the design of an innovative, three-shade lamp system, after Henningsen was chosen to participate in the legendary Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes to be held the following year in Paris. Henningsen won the gold medal there, and his work with the Louis Poulsen & Co. grew into a lifelong collaboration that remains the foundation of its ongoing production today.

Henningsen was obsessed with light and considered himself a “lighting architect.” With his PH Lamp series, he sought to create glare-free yet direct light where it was most needed, accompanied by soft shadows, lit by the then-new incandescent bulbs. He did not just design a light, but an entire system; around a thousand different models have been designed over the years. Pioneering and timeless classics such as Henningsen’s Artichoke Lamp (1958) and the PH5 (1958), as well as fellow Danish designer Verner Panton’s Ceiling Flower Pot lamp (1968) and Panthella table lamp (1971), are considered to be among the most iconic Scandinavian contributions to modern design culture.

Louis Poulsen—beloved by design lovers around the world—continues to specialize in the development and production of lighting solutions for indoor and outdoor applications. With function, comfort, and ambience at the core of each design, the company’s products can be found in numerous design museum collections, including MoMA (New York), Cooper Hewitt (New York), Philadelphia Museum of Art, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Museum of Decorative Arts (Copenhagen), Design Museum (London), and Vitra Design Museum (Weil am Rhein). Today Louis Poulsen is part of Polaris Private Equity.

* All images courtesy of Louis Pousen.