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Poul Henningsen

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.

Average Sold Price
$3,869
Styles
Materials
Related Creators
Iconic Designs from Poul Henningsen
Explore timeless pieces that have earned their place in history.
Artichoke Lamp
Artichoke Lamp
Ph 3 2 Table Lamp
Ph 3 2 Table Lamp
Ph 4 4 Pendant
Ph 4 4 Pendant
Ph 3 2 Floor Lamp
Ph 3 2 Floor Lamp
Poul Henningsen, Rare Pair of Elongated Wall Lamps, Scandinavan Modern, 1940s
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in Copenhagen, DK
POUL HENNINGSEN & LOUIS POULSEN SCANDINAVIAN MODERN Rare and sculptural set of The Elongated Lamps by Poul Henningsen (PH) designed in 1931 and manufa...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Poul Henningsen

Materials

Brass

Pair of Vintage White PH4 / 3 Pendant Lamps by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen
By Poul Henningsen
Located in Esbjerg, DK
-A matching pair of tiered ceiling lights - Produced in Denmark circa 1980 -Designed by Poul Henningsen - PH -Manufactured by Louis Poulsen -Measurements: Diameter: 40 cm, He...
Category

1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Poul Henningsen

Materials

Metal

Poul Henningsen 3/2 Table Lamp, Green
By Poul Henningsen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Poul Henningsen 3/2 Table Lamp, Green
Category

20th Century Danish Poul Henningsen

Materials

Metal

Poul Henningsen 3/2 Table Lamp, Green
Poul Henningsen 3/2 Table Lamp, Green
H 18 in W 11.25 in D 11.25 in
Danish Vintage Blue Ceiling Pendant PH5 by Poul Henningsen, 1960s
By Poul Henningsen, Louis Poulsen
Located in Asaa, DK
Danish Vintage blue ceiling pendant PH5 by Poul Henningsen, 1960s. Iconic Danish lighting designed in 1958 by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen. This model is known as PH 5 because it has five individual shades. Emits a soft light outwards and downwards without blinding. This is an authentic early model in the original blue color with the orange suspension...
Category

1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Poul Henningsen

Materials

Aluminum

Poul Henningsen PH Septima Pendant for Louis Poulsen
By Poul Henningsen, Louis Poulsen
Located in Glendale, CA
Poul Henningsen PH Septima pendant for Louis Poulsen. Designed in 1928, the PH Septima is regarded as one of Poul Henningsen’s most refined pendants. Based ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Poul Henningsen

Materials

Glass

PH Small Drawer Chest, brass legs, mahogany veneer, green leather, ash drawers
By Poul Henningsen
Located in Copenhagen, DK
This small but perfectly formed storage piece is made out of wood and can be combined with soft leather on the panels. It is elegant and stylish all the way around and from all angles. Poul Henningsen designed this in 1920. The PH Small Drawer Chest...
Category

2010s Danish Bauhaus Poul Henningsen

Materials

Leather, Mahogany

PH Snake Chair, Chrome, Leather Natural Un-Dyed, Leather Upholstery, Visible
By Poul Henningsen
Located in Copenhagen, DK
The PH Snake chairs flowing lines within its steel tube design are inspired by the strong yet flexible body of a snake. It is multi-use and fits any roo...
Category

2010s Danish Bauhaus Poul Henningsen

Materials

Chrome

Poul Henningsen, PH 3/2 Table Lamp, Early Model
By Louis Poulsen, Poul Henningsen
Located in San Francisco, CA
A table lamp by Poul Henningsen with browned brass frame, socket cover and top, mounted with 3/2 patinated copper shade set. No switch on the frame. Stamped 'Pat. Appl.' (highly valu...
Category

Early 20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Poul Henningsen

Materials

Brass, Copper

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Creators Similar to Poul Henningsen

More Poul Henningsen Designs
Artichoke Lamp
Artichoke Lamp
Average Price
$20,952
Number Available
37
Artichoke Lamp
By Poul Henningsen
Materials
Metal, Steel
Styles
Scandinavian Modern
The PH Artichoke lamp was born out of a lighting commission Poul Henningsen (1894–1967) received from Danish architects Eva and Nils Koppel to outfit the newly rebuilt Langelinie Pavilion, a Copenhagen restaurant that was bombed during World War II by the Germans with support from Danish collaborators. The original space — situated on the Copenhagen waterfront — dated back to 1902 and was a beloved spot for socializing in the city. The new, modernist 11-story pavilion was completed by the Kop...
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Ph 3 2 Table Lamp
Ph 3 2 Table Lamp
Average Price
$7,672
Number Available
16
Ph 3 2 Table Lamp
By Poul Henningsen
Materials
Metal, Glass, Brass
Styles
Scandinavian Modern
The PH 3/2 table lamp isn’t just striking; it’s scientific and caring, too. A series of stacked concentric shades, initially made of metal or glass, helps evenly distribute reflected light while concealing the source at its center, creating diffuse illumination that’s much gentler on the eyes than the harsh glare from a bare light bulb, which, in the early days of electric lighting, was an off-putting evolution from the welcoming glow of gas lamps. Designed by Poul Henningsen (1894–1967) in t...
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Ph 4 4 Pendant
Ph 4 4 Pendant
Average Price
$5,808
Number Available
10
Ph 4 4 Pendant
By Poul Henningsen
Materials
Metal, Glass, Opaline Glass, Steel
Styles
Scandinavian Modern
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Ph 3 2 Floor Lamp
Ph 3 2 Floor Lamp
Average Price
$4,146
Number Available
9
Ph 3 2 Floor Lamp
By Poul Henningsen
Materials
Metal, Glass, Opaline Glass, Copper
Styles
Mid Century Modern, Modern
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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.
Questions About Poul Henningsen
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2024
    Poul 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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