Stunning Large Carl Fagerlund Chandelier

Many museums, churches and headquarters of large companies house the work of Scandinavian modernist lighting designer Carl Fagerlund. Initially an instructor of illustration, Fagerlund shifted into the world of lighting design during the 1940s with the advantage of having an artist’s eye, and today his vintage table lamps, chandeliers, wall lights and other fixtures enrich dwellings and continue to captivate collectors all over the world.  

During the early 1940s, Fagerlund taught burgeoning artists to draw at Solbacka läroverk, a private boarding school in Sweden that was based on the successful institutions of its type in the United Kingdom. Shortly thereafter, he took a job designing provocative sconces and other wall fixtures of brass and textured glass elements for a manufacturing company in Stockholm called ASEA (Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget, or General Swedish Electrical Limited Company). 

Fagerlund is best known, however, for the work he did at Orrefors Glassworks, a legendary glassworks in Småland that garnered worldwide acclaim for its wares after introducing a range of decorative objects and art glass at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in 1925 — the huge design fair that brought global attention to Art Deco. Fagerlund joined Orrefors in 1946 and designed richly intricate mid-century modernist pendants, flush mount lighting, a range of works with Murano glass and other fixtures for more than three decades. 

Fagerlund’s designs can be found in Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde, a museum “castle” that was once the private residence of royalty, the Swedish Embassy in Tokyo and the head office for General Motors, U.S.A. in Detroit, Michigan. 

Find vintage Carl Fagerlund flush mount lighting, pendants, serveware and other items on 1stDibs.

Chandeliers — simple in form, inspired by candelabras and originally made of wood or iron — first made an appearance in early churches. For those wealthy enough to afford them for their homes in the medieval period, a chandelier's suspended lights likely exuded imminent danger, as lit candles served as the light source for fixtures of the era. Things have thankfully changed since then, and antique chandeliers and pendant lights are popular in many interiors today.

While gas lighting during the late 18th century represented an upgrade for chandeliers — and gas lamps would long inspire Danish architect and pioneering modernist lighting designer Poul Henningsen — it would eventually be replaced with the familiar electric lighting of today.

The key difference between a pendant light and a chandelier is that a pendant incorporates only a single bulb into its design. Don’t mistake this for simplicity, however. An Art Deco–styled homage to Sputnik from Murano glass artisans Giovanni Dalla Fina, with handcrafted decorative elements supported by a chrome frame, is just one stunning example of the elaborate engineering that can be incorporated into every component of a chandelier. (Note: there is more than one lighting fixture that shares its name with the iconic mid-century-era satellite — see Gino Sarfatti’s design too.)

Chandeliers have evolved over time, but their classic elegance has remained unchanged.

Not only will the right chandelier prove impressive in a given room, but it can also offer a certain sense of practicality. These fixtures can easily illuminate an entire space, while their elevated position prevents them from creating glare or straining one’s eyes.

Certain materials, like glass, can complement naturally lit settings without stealing the show. Brass, on the other hand, can introduce an alluring, warm glow. While LEDs have earned a bad reputation for their perceived harsh bluish lights and a loss of brightness over their life span, the right design choices can help harness their lighting potential and create the perfect mood. A careful approach to lighting can transform your room into a peaceful and cozy nook, ideal for napping, reading or working.

For midsize spaces, a wall light or sconce can pull the room together and get the lighting job done. Perforated steel rings underneath five bands of handspun aluminum support a rich diffusion of light within Alvar Aalto's Beehive pendant light, but if you’re looking to brighten a more modest room, perhaps a minimalist solution is what you’re after. The mid-century modern furniture designer Charlotte Perriand devised her CP-1 wall lamps in the 1960s, in which a repositioning of sheet-metal plates can redirect light as needed.

The versatility and variability of these lighting staples mean that, when it comes to finding something like the perfect chandelier, you’ll never be left hanging. From the natural world-inspired designs of the Art Nouveau era to the classic beauty of Paul Ferrante's fixtures, there is a style for every room.

With designs for pendant lights and chandeliers across eras, colors and materials, you’ll never run out of options to explore on 1stDibs — shop a collection today that includes antique Art Deco chandeliers, Stilnovo chandeliers, Baccarat chandeliers and more.