Poul Henningsen Furniture
Danish, 1894-1967
The name Poul Henningsen is synonymous with the best and most innovative modern Scandinavian lamps and other lighting. The Danish designer created a signature vocabulary of fixtures with tiered and layered shades in sculptural arrangements that are at once naturalistic and geometric.
Henningsen grew up in a town on the outskirts of Copenhagen and studied architecture at the Technical University of Denmark. He would become a noted art critic, journalist and screenwriter, but his first love was lighting design.
Henningsen’s childhood home was illuminated by oil lamps. When his family switched to electrified lighting, he was alarmed and repelled by the harsh glare cast by an incandescent bulb, and in his late teens he began conducting quasi-scientific experiments to measure which materials and methods best diffused or reflected light to give it a warm brightness. His work came to the attention of the lighting-fixtures firm Louis Poulsen, which sponsored the development of a prototype lamp. The design won a gold medal at the 1925 Paris Expositions Internationales des Arts Decóratifs et Industriels Modernes — from which the term Art Deco derives. The lamp, whose three-part shade is said to be inspired by the arrangement of a dinner plate atop a soup bowl atop a teacup, became the basis for Henningsen’s most successful design, the PH 4/3 desk lamp.
All told, Henningsen would design some 100 lighting fixtures in his career. Some of his most notable creations are hanging lamps, which include the Septima (1929), a pendant composed of seven graduated frosted-glass layers; the Spiral (1942), made of a single ribbon of enameled aluminum; and the Artichoke lamp (1958), whose 70 glass or metal fins in a staggered and graduated arrangement on a central steel frame resemble those of its namesake. The last is likely Henningsen’s masterwork and an icon of mid-20th-century design. Like all Henningsen lighting designs, it is striking, sculptural and — thanks to his insistence on the primacy of the quality of the light cast — superbly functional.
Find a collection of authentic Poul Henningsen table lamps, floor lamps and other lighting on 1stDibs.
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Style: Mid-Century Modern
Creator: Poul Henningsen
Ph 2/1 Stem Fitting Of Chrome by Poul Henningsen From 1980s
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Lejre, DK
This PH 2/1 stem fitting, designed by the renowned Poul Henningsen and manufactured by Louis Poulsen in the 1980s, epitomizes the iconic Danish lighting design of the era. Crafted fr...
Category
1930s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Metal
Poul Henningsen Ph 3/2 Glass Table Lamp
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Berkeley, CA
The fixture is designed based on the principle of a reflective three-shade system, which directs the majority of the light downwards. The shades are made of handblown opal three-laye...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Chrome
Vintage Poul Henningsen PH5 Pendant Lamp
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Renens, CH
Vintage Poul Henningsen’s PH5 ceiling lamp produced by Louis Poulsen, Denmark.
This lamp is in very good condition, no scratches or noticeable signs of wear, it has been tested an...
Category
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Metal
Poul Henningsen Ph Snowball Pendant
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Berkeley, CA
The fixture emits comfortable glare-free diffuse light. Matte painted undersurfaces and glossy top surfaces result in an attractive reflection of the diffused light, creating uniform...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Chrome
Poul Henningsen Pendant
By Poul Henningsen
Located in San Francisco, CA
Pendant lamp for Louis Poulsen - 4.5/4 with upper aluminum shade and 2 Lower glass rings.
Category
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Glass
Poul Henningsen Ph 6½-6 Pendant
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Berkeley, CA
The trumpet-shaped top shade provides illumination of the area above the three lower shades, which primarily direct the light downwards. A base reflector and a blue glare ring protect against glare from all angles. The strongest light is directly under the fixture. The shades have a matte white painted finish to ensure very comfortable lighting. Poul Henningsen designed the three-shade system during 1925/1926. The first lights using the system were designed for an exhibition in Paris. His work with Louis Poulsen continued until his death in 1967. Throughout his life, PH sought to create glare-free lighting; aiming to direct light where it was most needed, and creating soft shadows while using incandescent bulbs as a light source. The four-shade system was launched in 1931 to create a fixture that could be mounted high up and serve as an alternative to the commonly used chandeliers. The PH four-shade fixture was designed to increase the amount of light emitted horizontally to provide greater illumination of walls and shelves than was possible using standard three-shade lights. It was removed from the Louis Poulsen standard range in the 1940s, but was redesigned in 1979 by Danish architects, Sophus Frandsen and Ebbe Christensen, for the Charlottenborg exhibition building in Copenhagen (although in a larger size: PH 6...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Chrome
Poul Henningsen PH 3½-3 Glass Pendant
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Berkeley, CA
The fixture is designed based on the principle of a reflective three-shade system, which directs the majority of the light downwards. The shades are made of handblown opal three-layer glass, which is glossy on top and sandblasted matte on the underside, giving a soft and uniform light distribution. The PH 3½-3 Glass Pendant...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Chrome
Poul Henningsen Ph Artichoke Pendant, X-Large
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Berkeley, CA
The fixture provides 100% glare-free light. The 72 precisely positioned leaves form 12 unique rows of six leaves each. They illuminate the fixture as well as emitting diffused light with a unique pattern. The fixture provides decorative and comfortable lighting. For the energy saving LED variant the quality of light and atmosphere surrounding the product is kept at the highest level. The PH Artichoke...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Chrome
Poul Henningsen Ph Artichoke Pendant, Medium
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Berkeley, CA
The fixture provides 100% glare-free light. The 72 precisely positioned leaves form 12 unique rows of six leaves each. They illuminate the fixture as well as emitting diffused light with a unique pattern. The fixture provides decorative and comfortable lighting. For the energy saving LED variant the quality of light and atmosphere surrounding the product is kept at the highest level. The PH Artichoke...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Chrome
Poul Henningsen Ph 3½-2½ Glass Table Lamp
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Berkeley, CA
The fixture is designed based on the principle of a reflective three-shade system, which directs the majority of the light downwards. The shades are made of handblown opal three-layer glass, which is glossy on top and sandblasted matte on the underside, giving a soft and diffuse light distribution. The fixture is designed based on the principle of a reflective three-shade system, which directs the majority of the light downwards. The shades are made of handblown opal three-layer glass, which is glossy on top and sandblasted matte on the underside, giving a soft and diffuse light distribution. The PH 3½-2½ Glass Table lamp was designed in 1928 and is one of many advanced projects undertaken by Poul Henningsen in the development of his world-famous three-shade system from 1926. Poul Henningsen devoted most of his life to taming electric light. He based his three-shade design on a logarithmic spiral to make optimum use of the light source. He was constantly doing calculations and tests. The form of the shades was determined by the way they were required to shape and reflect the light, and the lamp was designed to be glare-free. The first PH Table lamp...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Chrome
Poul Henningsen Ph Artichoke Pendant – Large
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Berkeley, CA
The fixture provides 100% glare-free light. The 72 precisely positioned leaves form 12 unique rows of six leaves each. They illuminate the fixture as well as emitting diffused light with a unique pattern. The fixture provides decorative and comfortable lighting. For the energy saving LED variant the quality of light and atmosphere surrounding the product is kept at the highest level. The PH Artichoke...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Chrome
Iconic Vintage PH5 Chandelier for L. Poulsen of DK in White with Art Work
By Poul Henningsen
Located in Søborg, DK
Iconic vintage PH5 chandelier by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen of Denmark in white and decorated with art work.
The art work is acrylic paint.
Each lamp is unique.
Poul Hennings...
Category
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Aluminum
Early Poul Henningsen PH 5-4 1/2 Chandelier for Louis Poulsen
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Berlin, DE
Early Poul Henningsen PH 5-4 1/2 chandelier for Louis Poulsen.
Category
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Aluminum
Poul Henningsen Ph 5 Mini Pendant
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Berkeley, CA
The fixture provides 100% glare-free light. Poul Henningsen developed the PH 5 in 1958 as a follow-up to his celebrated three-shade system. The fixture emits both downward and lateral light, thus illuminating itself. In the PH 5 Classic, a warmer tone of light is created by the inside red cone and a small blue reflector. The PH 5 Mini...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Chrome
Poul Henningsen Ph 4½-3½ Glass Table Lamp
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Berkeley, CA
"The fixture is designed based on the principle of a reflective three-shade system, which directs the majority of the light downwards. The shades are made of handblown opal three-lay...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Chrome
Poul Henningsen PH Floor Lamp
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Berkeley, CA
The fixture is designed based on the principle of a reflective three-shade system, which directs the majority of the light downwards. The shades are made of handblown opal three-laye...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Chrome
PH Kontrast Pendant Light
By Poul Henningsen, Louis Poulsen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Original Kontrast PH ceiling light, designed by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen. Ten enameled steel shades Cascade downward, perfectly placed to provide ...
Category
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Steel
Poul Henningsen Ph Artichoke Pendant – Small
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Berkeley, CA
The fixture provides 100% glare-free light. The 72 precisely positioned leaves form 12 unique rows of six leaves each. They illuminate the fixture as well as emitting diffused light with a unique pattern. The fixture provides decorative and comfortable lighting. For the energy saving LED variant the quality of light and atmosphere surrounding the product is kept at the highest level. The PH Artichoke...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Chrome
Poul Henningsen Ph Louvre Pendant
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Berkeley, CA
The fixture provides 100% glare-free light. The geometrical, spherical design is based on the principle of illuminating all surfaces at the same angle. This ensures uniform light around the fixture, illuminating both walls and ceiling. Matte painted undersurfaces and glossy top surfaces result in an attractive reflection of the diffused light, creating uniform light distribution around the fixture. Poul Henningsen designed the three-shade system during 1925/1926. The first lights using the system were designed for an exhibition in Paris. His work with Louis Poulsen continued until his death in 1967. Throughout his life, PH sought to create glare-free lighting; aiming to direct light where it was most needed, and creating soft shadows while using incandescent bulbs as a light source. PH Louvre...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Chrome
Poul Henningsen Ph 4½-3½ Glass Floor Lamp
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Berkeley, CA
The fixture is designed based on the principle of a reflective three-shade system, which directs the majority of the light downwards. The shades are made of handblown opal three-laye...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Chrome
PH Artichoke Pendant Light by Poul Henningsen, Louis Poulsen, White, 1958
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
One of the most iconic, modern lighting designs, the PH Artichoke Pendant Light's origin is ju st as noteworthy. Originally designed in 1958 for the Langelinie Pavillonen restaurant located in Denmark's capital Copehagen, the modern pendant light features a sculptural design that is as beautiful as it is functional. Each “artichoke leaf “ is carefully positioned by hand to create a visually compelling fixture as well as ensure a totally glare-free lighting experience from every angle. Due to the glare-free light that is cast and its decorative structure, the PH Artichoke Lamp...
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Steel
Poul Henningsen Artichoke Pendant Light
By Poul Henningsen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen Artichoke pendant light, Denmark, circa 1957. Copper, aluminum, and enameled steel.
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Metal, Copper
Chandelier ‘Pulley’ Designed by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen, Denmark, 1931
By Poul Henningsen
Located in Stockholm, SE
Nickel-plated brass and original frosted painted glass.
Provenance: From a private Danish collection.
Example made in the mid 1930s.
Poul Henningsen’s lamp designs are characteris...
Category
1930s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Brass
Poul Henning for Poulsen Denmark, White PH Artichoke Ceiling Lamp 72 cm
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Renens, CH
Poul Henning for Poulsen Denmark, White PH Artichoke Ceiling Lamp 72 cm
The PH Artichoke was originally designed in 1958 by Poul Henningsen for a resta...
Category
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Aluminum
Early Poul Henningsen Table Lamp in Brass with Copper Shades, 1927-1928
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Poul Henningsen & Louis Poulsen, Mid-century Modern design
The iconic Poul Henningsen (PH 3/2) table lamp with copper shades.
Stand, switch and socket house of browned brass.
Top...
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Brass, Copper
Pair of Poul Henningsen Pendants PH 2/1 for Louis Poulsen
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Vienna, AT
Poul Henningsen PH 2/1 pendants.
Fitted with one E27 socket, white opal glass shades, black fabric cords.
Produced by Louis Poulsen. Ø 20 cm. Minimal wear.
Category
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Steel
Orange Pendant Ph-4/3 by Poul Henningsen
By Poul Henningsen
Located in San Francisco, CA
A group of eight orange lacquered metal pendants by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen, Denmark. Each pendant has 8' of cord. Priced individually.
Category
20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Metal
PH 3½/2½ Floor Lamp by Poul Henningsen and Louis Poulsen, 2002
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Lejre, DK
The PH3½/2½ floor lamp, a distinguished member of the esteemed 3/2 Family, represents Poul Henningsen's legacy of exquisite lighting design. Collaboratively crafted with precision by...
Category
Early 2000s Danish Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Brass
Artichoke in Brushed Steel by Poul Henningsen and Louis Poulsen
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Lejre, DK
Exquisite Artichoke Pendant Lamp: Ø60, a stunning creation by renowned designer Poul Henningsen, masterfully crafted by Louis Poulsen in the late 2000s.
This iconic lamp, known as t...
Category
1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Steel
PH5 Pendant by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen, Denmark, 1960s
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Steenwijk, NL
This timeless model PH5 pendant is a design by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen, designed in 1956. The lamp has a white, blue and red lacquered metal with blue connecting elements.
Category
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Metal
Poul Henningsen PH Kontrast Louis Poulsen Lamp Pendant Mid Century
By Poul Henningsen, Louis Poulsen
Located in Berlin, BE
This iconic 1960s “Kontrast” pendant lamp was designed by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen. Henningsen began his collaboration with Copenhagen-based lighting company Louis Poulsen i...
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Aluminum, Steel
Danish Design Classic Pair of Poul Henningsen PH5 Pendant Lamps, 1960s
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Renens, CH
A pair of Poul Henningsen’s PH5 ceiling lamps produced by Louis Poulsen, Denmark.
The lamps are in very good condition, no scratches or noticeable signs of wear, they are tested and...
Category
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poul Henningsen Furniture
Materials
Metal
Poul Henningsen furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
Poul Henningsen 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 Poul Henningsen furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 244 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 483 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Poul Henningsen were created in the Scandinavian Modern style in europe during the 21st century and contemporary. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Louis Poulsen, Vilhelm Lauritzen, and Fog & Mørup. Prices for Poul Henningsen furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $287 and can go as high as $332,864, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,283.
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Questions About Poul Henningsen Furniture
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2024Poul Henningsen is famous for designing innovative modern Scandinavian lamps and other lighting. The Danish designer created a signature vocabulary of fixtures with tiered and layered shades in sculptural arrangements that are at once naturalistic and geometric. Some of his most iconic pieces include the Spiral, made of a single ribbon of enameled aluminum, and the Artichoke lamp, whose 70 glass or metal fins in a staggered and graduated arrangement on a central steel frame resemble those of its namesake. Find a collection of Poul Henningsen lighting on 1stDibs.
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