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Isamu Noguchi Lanterns

Japanese, American, 1904-1988

A sculptor, painter, ceramicist and furniture and lighting designer, Isamu Noguchi was one of the most prolific and protean creative forces of the 20th century and a key figure in the development of organic modernism. Noguchi’s sculptures and designs — his chairs and tables as well as his timeless Akari lamp and other lighting fixtures — share a common spirit: one of lyrical abstraction, tempo and flow and harmonious balance.

Noguchi was born in Los Angeles to an American mother and Japanese father, and spent most of his childhood in Japan. He returned to the United States at age 13, went to high school in Indiana and enrolled at Columbia University to study medicine. At the same time, he took night courses in sculpture. 

Within three months, Noguchi left college to pursue art full time. Noguchi was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1927 and traveled to Paris to work under Constantin Brancusi. It marked a turning point. Inspired by Brancusi, Noguchi embraced abstraction and began to sculpt in the expressive, rhythmic style that would be the hallmark of his work.

Once back in New York, Noguchi was introduced to design by what would become a lifelong collaboration creating sets for choreographer Martha Graham. His first industrial designs were in Bakelite: the sleek Measured Time kitchen timer created circa 1932, and his famed Zenith Radio Nurse intercom, from 1937. 

Ten years later, Herman Miller introduced Noguchi’s now-iconic glass-topped coffee table with an articulated wooden base. His washi paper and bamboo Akari light sculptures, handmade in Japan, debuted in 1951. In the late 1950s, Noguchi designed for Knoll, creating such pieces as his dynamic Cyclone table and rocking stool.

For collectors, Noguchi’s furniture and lighting designs remain his most accessible work — they have the same power and presence that Noguchi brought to his art.

Find vintage Isamu Noguchi floor lamps, table lamps, coffee tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Isamu Noguchi
Isamu Noguchi Akari 120F, Ozeki, designed 1951
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Grenoble, FR
Akari model “120F” by Isamu Noguchi. Original shade in washi & bamboo rims with structure in black lacquered metal. Hand-made form realized by Ozeki Company Japan. Series started...
Category

Mid-20th Century Asian Mid-Century Modern Isamu Noguchi Lanterns

Materials

Bamboo

Early Isamu Noguchi Akari Light Sculpture, Model 3X Table Lamp
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Isamu Noguchi Akari light sculpture. Model 3X table lamp. Early model, marked with iconic red sun and moon ideogram. Hand-made form by Ozeki ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Japanese Mid-Century Modern Isamu Noguchi Lanterns

Materials

Metal

Isamu Noguchi Akari L2, Ozeki, 1951
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Lille, Hauts-de-France
An Akari model "L2" by Isamu Noguchi (1904-1908) A light sculptural column, original shade in washi & structure in black lacquered metal Hand-made form realized by Ozeki Company, G...
Category

1950s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Vintage Isamu Noguchi Lanterns

Materials

Metal

Akari 20N by Isamu Noguchi, Ozeki, 1951
By Isamu Noguchi
Located in Lille, Hauts-de-France
Akari model “20N” by the great Isamu Noguchi. Original shade in washi & bamboo rims. Structure in black lacquered metal. Hand-made form realized by ...
Category

1950s Japanese Vintage Isamu Noguchi Lanterns

Materials

Metal

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Previously Available Items
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Isamu Noguchi, Akari 50EN Pendant, Ozeki & Co Ltd, Japan 1955
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Isamu Noguchi lanterns for sale on 1stDibs.

Isamu Noguchi lanterns are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of paper and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Isamu Noguchi lanterns, although beige editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original lanterns by Isamu Noguchi were created in the mid-century modern style in japan during the mid-20th century. Prices for Isamu Noguchi lanterns can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $5,000 and can go as high as $17,808, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $8,268.

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