Verner Panton introduced the word “groovy” — or at least its Danish equivalent — into the Scandinavian modern design lexicon. He developed fantastical, futuristic forms and embraced bright colors and new materials such as plastic, fabric-covered polyurethane foam and steel-wire framing for the creation of his chairs, sofas, floor lamps and other furnishings. And Panton’s ebullient Pop art sensibility made him an international design star of the 1960s and ’70s. This radical departure from classic Danish modernism, however, actually stemmed from his training under the greats of that design style.
Born on the largely rural Danish island of Funen, Panton studied architecture and engineering at Copenhagen’s Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, where the lighting designer Poul Henningsen was one of his teachers. After graduating, in 1951, Panton worked in the architectural office of Arne Jacobsen, and he became a close friend of Hans Wegner's.
Henningsen taught a scientific approach to design; Jacobsen was forever researching new materials; and Wegner, the leader in modern furniture design using traditional woodworking and joinery, encouraged experimental form.
Panton opened his own design office in 1955, issuing tubular steel chairs with woven seating. His iconoclastic aesthetic was announced with his 1958 Cone chair, modified a year later as the Heart Cone chair. Made of upholstered sheet metal and with a conical base in place of legs, the design shocked visitors to a furniture trade show in Copenhagen.
Panton went on to successive bravura technical feats. His curving, stackable Panton chair, his most popular design, was the first chair to be made from a single piece of molded plastic.
Panton had been experimenting with ideas for chairs made of a single material since the late 1950s. He debuted his plastic seat for the public in the design magazine Mobilia in 1967 and then at the 1968 Cologne Furniture Fair. The designer’s S-Chair models 275 and 276, manufactured during the mid-1960s by August Sommer and distributed by the bentwood specialists at Gebrüder Thonet, were the first legless chairs crafted from a single piece of plywood.
Panton would spend the latter half of the 1960s and early ’70s developing all-encompassing room environments composed of sinuous and fluid-formed modular seating made of foam and metal wire. He also created a series of remarkable lighting designs, most notably his Fun chandeliers — introduced in 1964 and composed of scores of shimmering capiz-shell disks — and the Space Age VP Globe pendant light of 1969.
Panton’s designs are made to stand out and put an eye-catching exclamation point on even the most modern decor.
Find vintage Verner Panton chairs, magazine racks, rugs, table lamps and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Verner Panton 'SPIEGEL' Wall or Floor Lamp
By Verner Panton
Located in Tilburg, NL
Verner Panton 'SPIEGEL' wall or floor lamp. Denmark, design 1969. Current production. SPIEGEL was made famous for its role in Verner Panton’s complete interior installation of Der Spiegel Publishing House in Hamburg in 1969. The SPIEGEL lamp...
Aluminum
Verner Panton 'SPIEGEL' Wall or Floor Lamp for Verpan, Installation of 4
By Verner Panton
Located in Tilburg, NL
Verner Panton Installation of four 'SPIEGEL' Wall or Floor Lamps. Denmark, design 1969. Current production. Combination of four separate lamps. SPIEGEL was made famous for its role in Verner Panton’s complete interior installation of Der Spiegel Publishing House in Hamburg in 1969. The SPIEGEL lamp...
Aluminum
Vintage Panthella Floor Lamp by Verner Panton for Louis Poulsen
By Verner Panton
Located in BERKEL EN RODENRIJS, NL
This iconic Panthella floor lamp, designed by Verner Panton for Louis Poulsen in the 1970s, is a perfect blend of form and function. Its sculptural, minimalist design features a smoo...
Plastic
Topan VP14 Floor Lamp, Chrome Plated, Designed by Verner Panton in 1959, for &T
By Verner Panton, &Tradition
Located in Bayrut, Beirut Governorate
Originally designed in 1959 as a pendant, the Topan floor lamp brings a new perspective to one of Verner Panton’s most recognizable forms, transforming it into a sculptural, freestan...
Chrome, Aluminum
Verner Panton 'Spiegel' Wall or Floor Lamp for Verpan, Installation of 6
By Verner Panton
Located in Tilburg, NL
Verner Panton Installation of six 'SPIEGEL' wall or floor lamps. Denmark, design 1969. Current production. Combination of six separate lamps. SPIEGEL was made famous for its role in Verner Panton’s complete interior installation of Der Spiegel Publishing House in Hamburg in 1969. The SPIEGEL lamp...
Aluminum
Floor Lamp Model Panthella By Verner Panton For Louis Poulsen From 1980s
By Verner Panton, Louis Poulsen
Located in Lejre, DK
The Panthella floor lamp, designed by Verner Panton in 1971, is a quintessential example of mid-century modern lighting design. Created in collaboration with Louis Poulsen, a renowned manufacturer known for their high-quality lighting fixtures, the Panthella lamp...
Plastic
$1,219 / item
Verner Panton Panthella Floor Lamp
By Verner Panton, Louis Poulsen
Located in Berkeley, CA
The fixture emits a soft and comfortable illumination. The hemispherical shade reflects the light downwards, and the material used ensures that the majority of the light is spread diffusely in the room from the surface of the shade. Panthella Floor...
Chrome
Panthella Floor Lamp by Verner Panton for Louis Poulsen
By Verner Panton
Located in Centreville, VA
The work of Verner Panton, the Panthella Lamp (1971) remains one of his most popular lighting designs to this day. Marked by organic shapes typical of his creations, it’s fitted wi...
Plastic
Early Panthella Floor Lamp by Verner Panton for Louis Poulsen
By Verner Panton
Located in Centreville, VA
Verner Panton designed the iconic Panthella lamp in 1971. Panthella serves as a testament to Panton’s brilliant sense of atmospheric illumination and timelessly appealing design that...
Acrylic
Verpan Fun 1STM Floor Lamp by Verner Panton, Chrome Frame & Seashell Discs
By Verpan, Verner Panton
Located in Varedo, Lombardia
Brand: Verpan Design: Verner Panton Model: Fun 1STM Chrome Floor Lamp Year: 1964 The Fun 1STM Chrome Floor Lamp by Verner Panton is part of the iconic Fun lighting collection, widel...
Metal, Steel
Verner Panton Monumental 'SPIEGEL' Wall Lamp Installation of 18 for Verpan
By Verner Panton
Located in Tilburg, NL
Verner Panton monumental wall filling installation of eighteen 'SPIEGEL' Wall or Floor Lamps. Denmark, design 1969. Current production. Combination of eig...
Aluminum
Verner Panton Monumental Wall Filling 'SPIEGEL' Wall Lamp Installation
By Verner Panton
Located in Tilburg, NL
Verner Panton monumental wall filling installation of twenty eight 'SPIEGEL' Wall or Floor Lamps. Denmark, design 1969. Current production. Combination of...
Aluminum
Topan VP14 Floor Lamp, Grey Beige, Designed by Verner Panton in 1959, for &T
By Verner Panton, &Tradition
Located in Bayrut, Beirut Governorate
Originally designed in 1959 as a pendant, the Topan floor lamp brings a new perspective to one of Verner Panton’s most recognizable forms, transforming it into a sculptural, freestan...
Aluminum
Panthella Floor Lamp by Verner Panton, White Opal Acrylic, 1960
By Verner Panton, Louis Poulsen
Located in Antwerp, BE
This classic ‘Panthella’ floor lamp was designed Verner Panton and produced by Louis Poulsen in Denmark since the 1960’s. The floor lamp diffuses a soft and comforting glow through a...
Metal
Verner Panton 'Panthella' White Floor Lamp for Louis Poulsen
By Verner Panton, Louis Poulsen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Verner Panton 'Panthella' White Floor Lamp for Louis Poulsen. The 'Panthella' Collection was designed by Verner Panton in 1971 and remains one of his most popular pieces. Panton dev...
Steel
Verner Panton 'SPIEGEL' Wall or Floor Lamp for Verpan, Installation of 9
By Verner Panton
Located in Tilburg, NL
Verner Panton Installation of Nine 'SPIEGEL' Wall or Floor Lamps. Denmark, design 1969. Current production. Combination of nine separate lamps. SPIEGEL was made famous for its role...
Aluminum
Pair of Verner Panton Adjustable Height, Rolling Panto Beam Floor Lamps
By Verner Panton
Located in Kansas City, MO
Exceptional pair of Verner Panton "Panto Beam" Floor lamps on casters manufactured by Innovation, Denmark, 1998. These lamps are adjustable from a minimum...
Metal
Louis Poulsen, Floor Lamp in White Opal by Verner Panton
By Verner Panton, Louis Poulsen
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Louis Poulsen, floor lamp in white opal by Verner Panton Width x Height x Length (mm) 500 x 1305 x 500, 5.6 kg Material: Shade in white opal acrylic. Stem in white lacquered steel. B...
Metal
Topan VP14 Floor Lamp, Vermilion Red, Designed by Verner Panton in 1959, for &T
By Verner Panton, &Tradition
Located in Bayrut, Beirut Governorate
Originally designed in 1959 as a pendant, the Topan floor lamp brings a new perspective to one of Verner Panton’s most recognizable forms, transforming it into a sculptural, freestan...
Aluminum
Verpan Wire Floor Lamp with Orange Shade by Verner Panton
By Verner Panton, Verpan
Located in Varedo, Lombardia
Description: Brand: Verpan Design: Verner Panton Model: Wire Floor Lamp Ø40 with Orange Shade Year: 1972 The Wire Floor Lamp by Verner Panton is an iconic example of the designer's ...
Steel
Verpan Fun 1STM Floor Lamp by Verner Panton, Brass Frame & Seashell Discs
By Verner Panton, Verpan
Located in Varedo, Lombardia
Brand: Verpan Design: Verner Panton Model: Fun 1STM Brass Floor Lamp Year: 1964 The Fun 1STM Brass Floor Lamp by Verner Panton is part of the iconic Fun lighting collection, widely ...
Metal, Steel
Verner Panton 'Wire' Chrome and White Opal Shade Floor Lamp for Verpan
By Verner Panton, Verpan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Verner Panton 'Wire' Chrome and White Opal Shade Floor Lamp for Verpan. The Wire lamp translates Panton’s exploration of steel wire into a simple and sensuous design with a featherl...
Metal, Chrome
Verpan Wire Floor Lamp with White Shade by Verner Panton
By Verner Panton, Verpan
Located in Varedo, Lombardia
Brand: Verpan Design: Verner Panton Model: Wire Floor Lamp Ø40 with White Shade Year: 1972 The Wire Floor Lamp by Verner Panton is an iconic example of the designer's experimental a...
Steel
Panthella Floor Lamp by Verner Panton for Louis Poulsen, Denmark, 1970s
By Verner Panton, Louis Poulsen
Located in Delft, NL
Panthella floor lamp by Verner Panton for Louis Poulsen, Denmark, 1970s Floor lamp with acrylic shade and button on/off switch with 3 times different lightning in the flute shaped...
Metal
Verner Panton 'SPIEGEL' Wall or Floor Lamp for Verpan, Installation of 18
By Verner Panton
Located in Tilburg, NL
Verner Panton Installation of Nine 'SPIEGEL' Wall or Floor Lamps. Denmark, design 1969. Current production. Combination of 18 separate lamps. SPIEGEL was made famous for its role i...
Aluminum
Verner Panton Monumental 'SPIEGEL' Wall Lamp Installation of 12 for Verpan
By Verner Panton
Located in Tilburg, NL
Verner Panton Monumental Installation of twelve 'SPIEGEL' Wall or Floor Lamps. Denmark, design 1969. Current production. Combination of twelve separate la...
Aluminum
Verner Panton 'Wire' Chrome and Orange Opal Shade Floor Lamp for Verpan
By Verner Panton, Verpan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Verner Panton 'Wire' Chrome and Orange Opal Shade Floor Lamp for Verpan. The Wire lamp translates Panton’s exploration of steel wire into a simple and sensuous design with a feather...
Metal, Chrome
Pair of Flowerpot Floor Lamp Chrome Plated Steel by Verner Panton for &Tradition
By &Tradition, Verner Panton
Located in Bayrut, Beirut Governorate
The VP12 model adapts the form of the iconic Flowerpot into a stylish floor lamp. Designed in close collaboration between &Tradition and the Panton family, Verner Panton’s Flower...
Steel, Chrome
1960s Very rare Metal Floor Lamp by Verner Panton
By Verner Panton
Located in Schoorl, NL
Beautiful floor lamp by Verner Panton. The 'upsidedown' lampshade makes this a very rare piece. Verner Panton's name printed on the bottom.
Metal
Flowerpot Floor Lamp Chrome Plated Steel by Verner Panton for &Tradition
By &Tradition, Verner Panton
Located in Bayrut, Beirut Governorate
The VP12 model adapts the form of the iconic Flowerpot into a stylish floor lamp. Designed in close collaboration between &Tradition and the Panton family, Verner Panton’s Flower...
Steel, Chrome
$1,849Sale Price / set|35% Off
Pair of Postmodern Floor Lamps Panto Beam by Danish designer Verner Panton
By Verner Panton
Located in Doornspijk, NL
Pair of Postmodern Floor Lamps Panto Beam by Danish designer Verner Panton. One black and one white Panto Beam, this pair of lamps was designed by Verner Pa...
Steel
Large Floor Lamp with Verner Panton Mira X Fabric for Fritz Hansen
By Verner Panton
Located in Brecht, BE
This is a rare and collectible piece of Danish design by Verner Panton for Fritz Hansen, created in 1976. The wire floor lamp is in a very good vintage condition, consists of a gold...
Gold, Brass
Mid Century Modern Floor Lamp by Verner Panton for Fritz Hansen
By Verner Panton
Located in Brussels, BE
Mid Century Modern Floor Lamp by Verner Panton for Fritz Hansen - a pair available
Brass