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Ingo Maurer

German, 1932-2019

German designer Ingo Maurer (1932–2019) was known as a “poet of light” for how he artfully created table lamps and floor lamps that married form and function, from bulbs that soared on goose-feather wings to chandeliers that suspended bursts of shattered tableware like a slow-motion explosion.

One of Maurer's first lamps, a 1966 design that was merely called Bulb, nested a lightbulb inside a larger glass lightbulb shape, drawing on his connection to German art traditions of reductive forms as well as Pop art and the playful aesthetics of 1960s pop culture. The success of Bulb — its fans included American design icon Charles Eames — led to the founding of his own company to produce this provocative fixture as well as other fantastic lighting designs. Later, for Maurer’s bestselling Uchiwa lamps of the 1970s, the designer found inspiration in Japanese fans made of bamboo and lacquered rice paper.

Born on the island of Reichenau in Lake Constance in southern Germany, Maurer apprenticed at a newspaper before moving to the United States in 1960. In New York and California, Maurer initially worked as a graphic designer for IBM and elsewhere before returning to Germany with his then-wife, designer Dorothee Becker, in 1963. The experience that Maurer gained in typography and bold forms was regularly expressed in the lamps crafted by his company, which was called Design M before the name was changed to Ingo Maurer GmbH. The lighting manufacturer is still based in Munich.

Some of Maurer’s pieces were minimal, such as a ceramic table lamp in 1996 he called Broken Egg, which radiated light from a fissure in an oblong shape, while others were monumental, such as the designer’s last completed installation — a colossal chandelier composed of over 3,000 silver-plated leaves — in Munich’s Residenztheater. Maurer was always at the forefront of lighting innovations, exploring holograms, LEDs and OLEDs in his projects. Through his company, the venturesome Maurer also promoted inventive new designers, including Moritz Waldemeyer, whose My New Flame (2012) imagined a futuristic candle with LEDs.

Ingo Maurer GmbH continues to produce the late designer’s distinctive table lamps, chandeliers and other fixtures, including the imaginative Bulb that started it all.

Find vintage Ingo Maurer Uchiwa lamps and other lighting for sale on 1stDibs.

Average Sold Price
$6,418
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Iconic Designs from Ingo Maurer
Explore timeless pieces that have earned their place in history.
Ingo Maurer Bulb Lamp
Ingo Maurer Bulb Lamp
Uchiwa Chandelier
Uchiwa Chandelier
Uchiwa Wall Sconce
Uchiwa Wall Sconce
Rare Uchiwa II Table Lamp by Ingo Maurer, circa 1970s
By Ingo Maurer, M Design
Located in Wiesbaden, Hessen
Rare table lamp by Ingo Maurer for Design M, 1970s, Germany. Executed in bamboo, rice paper fan and black lacquered iron. Socket: 1 x E27 or E26 (US) for standard screw bulbs. (Pair...
Category

1970s German Japonisme Vintage Ingo Maurer

Materials

Iron

Ingo Maurer Table Lamp Glass & Chrome, Design M, Germany, 1960s
By Ingo Maurer
Located in Niederdorfelden, Hessen
Ingo Maurer table light with a glass foot and the original shade, made in Germany in the 1960s.   Measures: width 23.6" in. (60 cm), height 27.5" in. (70 cm). Lighting: takes one la...
Category

1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ingo Maurer

Materials

Chrome

Kinetic Ingo Maurer 'Ilo Ilu' Light Sculpture
By Ingo Maurer
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ingo Maurer for Ingo Maurer GmbH, kinetic light sculpture model 'Ilo Ilu', steel, wood, plastic, metal, glass, Germany, 1986. This eccentric light sculpture named ‘Ilo Ilu’ is desig...
Category

1980s German Post-Modern Vintage Ingo Maurer

Materials

Metal, Steel

Pair of Floor Lamps Gold Brass and Bamoboo Shade by Ingo Maurer, Germany, 1968
By Ingo Maurer
Located in Rijssen, NL
Pair of elegant gold brass wooden floor lamps Model designed by Ingo Maurer, 1968 for Design M Munich, Germany. With new wood custom made lamp shades with Bronze inner shade. Made by...
Category

1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ingo Maurer

Materials

Gold Plate, Brass

Wall Lights Model Uchiwa III by Ingo Maurer for Design M, Germany 1973
By Ingo Maurer
Located in Greding, DE
Pair of large "Uchiwa III" wall lamps designed by Ingo Maurer for Design M. The fan-shaped lamp is crafted from lightweight bamboo and delicate rice paper, giving it a refined and or...
Category

1970s German Modern Vintage Ingo Maurer

Materials

Bamboo

Ilios Floor Light by Ingo Maurer, 1983
By Ingo Maurer
Located in VILLEURBANNE, FR
Very geometric shapes for this Ilios model floor lamp by Ingo Maurer, lines, square, round. The black lacquered metal base accommodates two rods separated by a steel piece which ma...
Category

Late 20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Ingo Maurer

Materials

Metal

 Ilios Floor Light by Ingo Maurer, 1983
 Ilios Floor Light by Ingo Maurer, 1983
H 74.81 in W 9.85 in D 7.09 in
Mid-Century Modern Space Age Giant Bulb Table Lamp by Ingo Maurer for M Design
By Ingo Maurer, M Design
Located in Hamburg, DE
A rare item for lighting collectors and design lovers. A giant bulb based on a design by the well-known lighting designer ingo maurer from the 1960s. Here in a particularly rare vers...
Category

1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ingo Maurer

Materials

Metal

White ceramic & silicone cable 1979 Donato Savoie pendant lamp by Ingo Maurer
By Ingo Maurer, Design M
Located in Varese, Lombardia
Donato Savoie pendant lamp by Ingo Maurer, no longer in production.
Category

1970s German Post-Modern Vintage Ingo Maurer

Materials

Metal

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Creators Similar to Ingo Maurer

More Ingo Maurer Designs
Ingo Maurer Bulb Lamp
Ingo Maurer Bulb Lamp
Average Price
$2,504
Number Available
13
Ingo Maurer Bulb Lamp
By Ingo Maurer
Materials
Metal, Glass, Blown Glass, Chrome
Styles
Mid Century Modern
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Uchiwa Chandelier
Uchiwa Chandelier
Average Price
$40,353
Number Available
5
Uchiwa Chandelier
By Ingo Maurer
Materials
Bamboo, Paper, Natural Fiber, Rope
Styles
Japonisme, Mid Century Modern
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Uchiwa Wall Sconce
Uchiwa Wall Sconce
Average Price
$3,113
Number Available
4
Uchiwa Wall Sconce
By Ingo Maurer
Materials
Bamboo, Paper
Styles
Mid Century Modern
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Ingo Maurer furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Ingo Maurer furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Ingo Maurer furniture, although beige editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 101 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 15 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Ingo Maurer were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Christian Dell, Wilhelm Wagenfeld, and Vereinigte Werkstätten München. Prices for Ingo Maurer furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $207 and can go as high as $60,918, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,495.

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