Alvar Aalto A331 "Beehive" Pendant Light, 1950s, Valaistustyö Ky Finland
View Similar Items
Alvar Aalto A331 "Beehive" Pendant Light, 1950s, Valaistustyö Ky Finland
About the Item
- Creator:Alvar Aalto (Designer),Valaistustyö (Manufacturer)
- Design:
- Dimensions:Height: 11.82 in (30 cm)Diameter: 13 in (33 cm)
- Power Source:Hardwired
- Voltage:220-240v
- Lampshade:Included
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1950
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor structural damages. Minor fading. Patinated and "yellowed". Lot of dents and traces of use, look photos closely.
- Seller Location:Turku, FI
- Reference Number:Seller: a3311stDibs: LU6943233957872
Beehive Pendant Light
Nicknamed “Beehive” for its resemblance to a bee’s nest, the Pendant Light A331 is among the most famous designs from revered Finnish architect and furniture maker Alvar Aalto (1898–1976).
In 1951, Aalto won a competition to design the main campus of a research university in Jyväskylä, where he had spent much of his childhood. Aalto also operated his studio in the small Finnish town from 1923 to 1933, when he and his first wife, Aino, relocated to Helsinki. In designing eight buildings for the University of Jyväskylä, Aalto planned a campus that echoed the layout of a Greek acropolis — Jyväskylä residents referred to their town as the “Athens of Finland” for its education focus, and the architect took this comparison to heart, prioritizing open-air civic space and other innovations. And just as he and Aino designed the Paimio armchair and all other furnishings for their famed tuberculosis sanatorium project — a masterpiece of functionalism — Aalto also specified furniture and interiors for his structures in Jyväskylä. The Beehive pendant was introduced in 1953 as part of the commission.
The Beehive pendant light’s elegant spherical shape is framed by five bands of handspun aluminum. But it’s the perforated steel rings underneath this multipart “shade” that comprise the unsung hero of the pendant — they provide for a diffusion of light that gives the Beehive a soft glow. The fixture is still manufactured by Artek, the company Alvar and Aino helped cofound in 1935. Within its 13-inch diameter, the Beehive pendant light encompasses many of Alvar Aalto’s most recognizable calling cards: reference to nature, sculptural form, thoughtful mechanics and overall warmth.
Alvar Aalto
An architect and designer, Alvar Aalto deserves an immense share of the credit for bringing Scandinavian modernism to a prominent place in the global arena. In both his buildings and in his vintage furniture — which ranges from chairs, tables and lighting to table- and glassware — Aalto’s sensitivity to the natural world and to organic forms and materials tempered the hardness of rationalist design.
Relatively few Aalto buildings exist outside Finland. (Just four exist in the United States, and only one — the sinuous 1945 Baker House dormitory at M.I.T. — is easily visited.) International attention came to Aalto, whose surname translates to English as “wave,” primarily through his furnishings.
Instead of the tubular metal framing favored by the Bauhaus designers and Le Corbusier, Aalto insisted on wood. His aesthetic is best represented by the Paimio armchair, developed in 1930 as part of his overall design of a Finnish tuberculosis sanatorium. Comfortable, yet light enough to be easily moved by patients, the chair’s frame is composed of two laminated birch loops; the seat and back are formed from a single sheet of plywood that scrolls under at the headrest and beneath the knees, creating a sort of pillow effect. Aalto’s use of plywood had enormous influence on Charles and Ray Eames, Arne Jacobsen, Marcel Breuer and others who later came to the material.
Concerned with keeping up standards of quality in the production of his designs, Aalto formed the still-extant company Artek in 1935, along with his wife, Aino Aalto, whose glass designs were made by the firm. In the latter medium, in 1936 the Aaltos together created the iconic, undulating Savoy vase, so-called for the luxe Helsinki restaurant for which the piece was designed.
Artek also produced Aalto pendants and other lighting designs, many of which — such as the Angel’s Wing floor lamp and the Beehive pendant — incorporate a signature Aalto detail: shades made of concentric enameled-metal rings graduated down in diameter. The effect of the technique is essential Alvar Aalto: at once precise, simple, and somehow poetic.
Find a collection of vintage Alvar Aalto stools, vases, dining tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
- Alvar Aalto Ceiling Lamp A622b - Early Version - Valaistustyö Ky Finland 1950sBy Alvar Aalto, Valaistustyö, ArtekLocated in Turku, FIAlvar Aalto designed the A622B lamp in 1953 for the National Pensions Institute of Helsinki, and its timeless elegance will easily complement modern homes and public spaces, too. ...Category
Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsSteel
$5,519 Sale Price25% OffFree Shipping - Artek AMA500 Pendant 1950s by Aino AaltoBy Aino Aalto, Valaistustyö, ArtekLocated in Turku, FIVintage Artek’s AMA 500 pendant, designed by Aino Aalto, is a stunning classic from 1950s. Aino Aalto designed the AMA 500 pendant originally for Villa M...Category
Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsMetal, Brass
$3,075 Sale Price20% Off - Artek Wall Shelf by Alvar Aalto, 1950sBy Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Turku, FIArtek's wall shelf 112B is an elegant and practical shelf that can be used for books, decorative lamps or small items. Alvar Aalto designed the wall shelf 112 in 1936. This one was ...Category
Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Shelves
MaterialsBirch
$808 Sale Price20% Off - Alvar Aalto Stool 60, 1960's, Artek FinlandBy Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Turku, FIIconic Aalto three-legged stool. Stool 60 was officially unveiled to an enthusiastic public in London at a Finnish furniture review in November 1933. The stool’s revolutionary L-leg ...Category
Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Stools
MaterialsBirch
- Alvar Aalto Stool 60, 1960's, Artek FinlandBy Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Turku, FIIconic Aalto three-legged stool. Stool 60 was officially unveiled to an enthusiastic public in London at a Finnish furniture review in November 1933. The stool’s revolutionary L-leg ...Category
Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Stools
MaterialsBirch
- Side Table By Alvar Aalto for Artek FinlandBy Alvar Aalto, ArtekLocated in Turku, FISpectacularly colored little table By Alvar Aalto For Artek Finland. Iconic L-leg Design. Re-Painted by a professional at some point. No original color. Dimensions: Height 54cm Lw...Category
Late 20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Side Tables
MaterialsBirch
- Artek Pendant Light A331 “Beehive“ by Alvar AaltoBy Alvar AaltoLocated in Centreville, VAThe A331, nicknamed “Beehive,” is one of Alvar Aalto’s most popular lighting designs. Suitable for homes and public spaces alike, “Beehive” creates a warm, diffuse light when switche...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsAluminum, Steel
- Early Alvar Aalto A332 "Beehive" Pendant by ValaistustyöBy Alvar Aalto, ValaistustyöLocated in Helsinki, FIThis is one of Alvar Aalto´s most iconic lighting designs. It was first designed in 1953. The design is incredibly simple and takes from nature as it mimics the hanging beehives on a...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsMetal, Brass
- Model A110 Pendant, Alvar Aalto, Valaistustyö Ab, 1950sBy Valaistustyö, Alvar AaltoLocated in Helsinki, FIModel A110 pendant light, designed by Alvar Aalto, manufactured by Valaistustyö Ab, 1950s. Painted metal with brass details. Good vintage condition, minor patina and wear consistent ...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsMetal, Brass
- Pendant Model A335B by Alvar Aalto for Valaistustyö, 1950sBy Alvar Aalto, ValaistustyöLocated in Helsinki, FIPendant by Alvar Aalto for Valaistustyö in the 1950s. Metal, good vintage condition, marked on the bottom. Beehive style pendant, early Alvar Aalto design.Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsMetal
- Alvar Aalto Model “A704” Table Lamp for Valaistustyö Ky, Finland 1950sBy Valaistustyö, Alvar AaltoLocated in Utrecht, NLFinland and Helsinki were extremely important in the Mid-Century Modern design history, and one of its most famous designers was Alvar Aalto. In contrast with the functionalism of th...Category
Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Table Lamps
MaterialsLeather
- Flush Mount Light Model A622b by Alvar Aalto for Valaistustyö, 1950sBy Alvar Aalto, ValaistustyöLocated in Helsinki, FIPendant model A622B by Alvar Aalto for Valaisintyö in the 1950s. Designed in 1953 for Helsinki Social Pension Institution. Metal, good vintage condition. Iconi...Category
Mid-20th Century Finnish Scandinavian Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsMetal
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The Very Modern Love Story of Mid-Century Design Duo Alvar and Aino Aalto
A power couple before the term existed, the influential pair made work that still resonates today.
What Makes Scandinavian Modernism and Nordic Design So Irresistible?
Andrew Duncanson, founder of the Stockholm- and London-based gallery Modernity, weighs in on the masters of mid-century furniture and decorative arts.