Putzler Smoked Glass Flush

Transforming light manufacturing into an aesthetic art form, Peill & Putzler is synonymous with futuristic globular glassworks. It was a massive operation at the peak of its production, creating mid-century modern designs and employing up to 1,500 workers. Its table lamps, wall lights and chandeliers and pendants are anything but mundane and are admired today for their innovative artistry.

The melding of two great, independent glassworks companies in 1947 to form Peill & Putzler occurred at the beginning of a postwar design surge. Peill und Sohn, founded in 1903, was led by Leopold Peill, a philanthropist and glassmaker. Originally from Pieńsk in today’s Poland, the Putzler brothers were well-established glass producers known for kerosene street lighting. The synthesis of the two companies established the renowned glassworks and a lighting company. The site of its glassworks factory in Düren, Germany, became the home of this integrated partnership.

In 1953, the German Design Council was formed, with Peill & Putzler as a founding member. The council is essential today, bringing social awareness, support and knowledge transfer to design companies and providing beneficial tools for their success. 

Heading the company at this time were Günther Peill and Hans Ahrenkiel. The pair were experimental with the designs the company produced. Advancing technologies supported industrial production, allowing the company to manufacture pieces that were as much art as functional objects.

Designers of note who worked with Peill & Putzler and contributed to its acclaim included Aloys Ferdinand Gangkofner, Wilhelm Wagenfeld, Helmut Demary, William Brown, Horst Tüselmann and Wilhelm Braun-Feldweg. Collaboratively, they produced stunning flush mount lighting, candle holders and vases and vessels.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of vintage Peill & Putzler lighting, decorative objects, glass and more.

From the kitchen to the bedroom and everywhere in between, there is one major part of home decor that you definitely want to master: lighting. It’s no longer merely practical — carefully selected wall lights and sconces can do wonders in establishing mood and highlighting your distinctive personality.

We’re a long way from the candelabra-inspired chandeliers of the medieval era. Lighting designers have been creating and reinventing lighting solutions for eons. Because of the advancements crafted by these venturesome makers, we now have the opportunity to bring unique, customizable lighting solutions into our homes. It’s never been easier to create dramatic bedrooms, cozy kitchen areas and cheerful bars than it is today. Think of an elegant wall sconce as functional as well as a work of art, adding both light and style to your hallways, whimsical kids’ rooms and elsewhere.

When choosing a lighting solution, first determine what your needs are: Will you opt for a moody or a bright feel? The room that will serve as your home office will need adequate lighting — think “the brighter, the better” for this particular setting. For the bedroom, bedside wall lamps with warm-temperature bulbs could be the way to go to induce a sense of calm or intimacy. Try to match the style of the wall light or sconce that you’re installing to the overall design scheme of your room. It’s never “just a light.” You should approach the lighting of a room with a mindset that is one part practical and one part aesthetics-driven.

Let 1stDibs help you set the mood with the right wall lights and sconces for your home. Our collection includes every kind of fixture, from sculptural works by Austrian craftsman J.T. Kalmar to chic industrial-style wall sconces, from adjustable painted aluminum wall lamps designed by Artemide to a wide variety of minimalist mid-century modern masterpieces.