Mid-Century Ceiling Lamp from Philips, 1950s

About This Piece

Vintage Design

Beige lacquered metal. Vintage condition.

This rare spotlight, manufactured by Philips in the early 50s has cinematic potential with the modesty of a desk lamp.

Because of the exceptional length of its stem, the spot will look great on a high ceiling. It’s ideal to illuminate your work or reading area, casting its beam straight onto your book. It is also an original and courteous night light, leaving space for other things on the bedside table. But if you want to get the most out of this slender pendant, let it highlight something special: a painting, a sculpture or your gold plated baby shoe.

dimensions:
height: 169 cm
width: 25 cm
depth: 15 cm

Show full description Close description

Manufacturer	Philips
Design Period	1950 to 1959
Production Period	1950 to 1959
Country of Manufacture	Netherlands
Identifying Marks	This piece is attributed to the above-mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark
Style	Vintage, Mid-Century, Industrial, Minimalist, Modernist
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.
	A professional electrician has rewired this piece to be in working order.
Restoration and Damage Details	Patina consistent with age and use
Product Code	MF-621567
Materials	Lacquer, Metal
Color	Beige
Width	15 cm 15 cm
Depth	25 cm 25 cm
Height	169 cm 169 cm
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	Belgium
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 14 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 Maker

Philips

Fascinated by Thomas Edison’s first incandescent light demonstrations in 1879, Gerard Philips (1858-1942) enlisted his father’s help to purchase a small tract of land in Eindhoven, Netherlands, in order to establish his own light bulb factory in 1891. After a year, Anton, Gerald’s youngest brother, joined the company as a salesman, which helped the company grow quickly into the largest carbon-filament producer in Europe. In 1912, Philips signed a historic contract with the Tsar Nicolas I, who ordered 50,000 light bulbs for his Winter Palace in St Petersburg. The same year, Philips entered the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Market.

From the beginning, Philips was an export-oriented company that aspired to make a mark on the fast-growing electricity industry. In 1914, Philips launched its famous NatLab, a research center dedicated to exploring physics and chemistry to develop new product ranges. Two years later, Philips celebrated its 25th anniversary and was given the title Koninklijke Philips Electronics (Royal Philips Electronics) by the Dutch monarchy.

Over the decades, Philips has produced a very wide range of products, such as medical X-ray tubes, radios, electric shavers, televisions, cassette and CD players, VHS and DVD players, and much more. In terms of design history, the company began to make a mark in 1925, when Dutch designer Louis Kalff joined the company as art director. He was later put in charge of the Lighting Division. Not only did Kalff elevate the quality of Philips’s branding, he went on to produce a series of electronics and lighting designs that achieved iconic status. Kalff’s many designs for Philips include Chapel Radio (1931), Philips Philishave (1939), and a number of lamp designs in the 1950s that typically feature enameled metal shades mounted on brass stems—the most sought-after of which is colloquially called the Z Table Lamp (1955).

Notably in the 1990s, Philips teamed up with Italian homewares company Alessi to produce a colorfully postmodern collection of appliances, like toasters, kettles, coffee makers, and juicers.

Today, Philips has a team of nearly 500 designers —one of the largest and most diverse of its kind in the world. In response to 21st-century conditions and technologies, Philips is shifting its focus from products to experiences, aiming to maximize the full potential that the Internet of Things, big data, and digital eco-systems can offer.