Robert Sonneman Chandelier Chrome and Smoked Glass
View Similar Items
Robert Sonneman Chandelier Chrome and Smoked Glass
About the Item
- Creator:Robert Sonneman (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 14.5 in (36.83 cm)Diameter: 24 in (60.96 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1960
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Patina to some edges of chrome small smudges.
- Seller Location:Brooklyn, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU165623746952
Robert Sonneman
Though Robert Sonneman was quite literally born into the lighting business, it took working for another celebrated lighting maker for him to land upon the kind of boundary-pushing modernism for which the New York–based designer is known today.
At the age of 19, fresh off a stint in the U.S. Navy, Sonneman responded to an ad for a position working in the studio of George Kovacs on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, where he became the sole employee. “Although my parents were in the lighting business, they came from a traditional perspective, and Kovacs introduced me to modernism,” Sonneman once said. “It was 1961, and I was immediately captured by the movement.”
While working for Kovacs, Sonneman became captivated by the work of the Bauhaus, and he began experimenting with the influential art and design school’s ideas of functional simplicity in lighting. In 1967, he opened his own studio.
Though Sonneman Design Group produced furniture for a brief time, the designer eventually elected to focus on the one category that had always fascinated him; the brand became known for its floor lamps, sconces, pendants and chandeliers that feature unconventional treatments toward shape and balance, often inspired by modern architecture. Sonneman once said of his work: “I saw the lamps that I built as lighting machines that glorified the industrial aesthetic.”
Indeed, in the spirit of Bauhaus functionality — Sonneman has also cited Mies van der Rohe as being an inspiration — the designer’s work takes function-centric forms and motifs and elevates them while prioritizing technology. This spirit of forward thinking continues today, as Sonneman’s brand, renamed SONNEMAN – A Way of Light in 2003, works with LED bulbs to continue to push the boundaries of what functional lighting can achieve aesthetically.
Current-day releases by SONNEMAN – A Way of Light (still overseen by Sonneman himself) feature 95 percent LED lights and include interior and exterior lighting as well as modular suspended lights as an alternative to track lighting. Sonneman’s vintage pieces, however, are still widely collected on the secondary market.
Find vintage Robert Sonneman lighting on 1stDibs.
- Sculptural Chandelier in Chrome and Smoked Lucite, Robert Sonneman, c. 1970'sBy Robert SonnemanLocated in Fort Lauderdale, FLMid-century modern sculptural chandelier in chrome and smoked lucite attributed to Robert Sonneman. Fixture has three sided design and features dark gray lucite scrolls with chrome c...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsChrome
- Robert Sonneman Seven-Light Chrome Tiered ChandelierBy Robert SonnemanLocated in East Hampton, NYRobert Sonneman seven-light chrome tiered chandelier. There is movement and illumination in this beautiful chandelier.Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsChrome
- Robert Sonneman Mid-Century Modern Chrome ChandelierBy Robert SonnemanLocated in Rockaway, NJChrome and smoked glass light fixture by Robert Sonneman on 20" long chain.Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsGlass
- Robert Sonneman Molecule ChandelierBy Robert SonnemanLocated in Houston, TXVintage 8 light Robert Sonneman chrome orb molecule chandelier.Category
Mid-20th Century North American Space Age Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsChrome
- Late 20th Century Robert Sonneman 24 Bulb Chrome ChandelierBy Robert Sonneman, Sonneman LightingLocated in Westfield, NJ1970s Robert Sonneman chrome chandelier with 24 globe bulbs. Polished and brushed chrome 6 arms hold the bulbs. Chandelier has 6” drop (ch...Category
Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsChrome
- Robert Sonneman Cascading Pendant ChandelierBy Robert SonnemanLocated in Los Angeles, CAThe cords are adjustable to your desired length and can extend another 6-12". For more than four decades, New York City-based Robert Sonneman has been at the forefront of modern lig...Category
Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Chandeliers and Pendants
MaterialsAluminum, Brass